Know yourself.
Know yourself, and not in a topical way. But the core of who you are and let that guide you. (A bit of a tall order) Let your inner knowing guide your steps in both the little and the small and get good and being in that space. Make it normal and watch the magic of your life unfold.
Sounds pretty great, right? It’s actually awesome. It’s something I can forget from time to time but I always have access to it and I can always get back there. I made it a tangible thing in my life. Well, I was actually gifted a program in my early 20’s that helped me tap into this place and know it well. It has never failed me and most of the magic of my life I attribute to having this self knowledge and living in alignment.
It has guided me through the loss of a husband, a move to NZ, starting LilyBee and having my little guy. Instead of glue I have magic that holds together my life. It’s what’s made the impossible, possible.
While I have had lots of help along the way the keystone along the way has been self knowledge. Susan Clarke ran her course for over 30 wildly successful years and helped change hundreds of lives. So when she retired last year we chatted and she decided to gift the course to me.
Needless to say, I am honoured. There’s no one road map for a successful life. But their are tried and true tools that make accessing your own road map not only possible but fun! We are big fans of big dreams and making them happen.
Over the last few months I have been wondering about the best way to share this beautiful gift from Susan (and was also a little nervous) and it kept circling back to our community here at LilyBee.
It feels kind of perfect. LilyBee has become so much more than saving plastic. Our community has grown and so have we. So offering tools that have served us so well is a pleasure. We are all about the LilyBee lifestyle and are inviting you along for the fun.
In just a few weeks I am offering the NZ ‘beta’ version of the course that changed my life. It’s the first time ever it’s been offered outside of the US and I could not be more delighted. Why a beta version? It will be my trial run of being on the other side of the room. To facilitate is always different than being a student. So you get the same information for a fraction (like 25%) of the cost.
The course will be limited to only 6-8 students (depending on the students) and 3 places are already taken. We are holding it on November 13-14 here in Hawke’s Bay.
This is my own little passion project because I believe there can always be more good in the world and if everyone is living their best lives the world will be a better place.
So if you are keen on accessing some of you own personal magic send us an email or checkout the website www.southstarr.com. Or just get in touch to find out more. This just might be one of those life defining moments that changes everything, just like it was for me.
]]>LilyBee is not only the coolest lifestyle choice you can make, but it’s soon to play an important role in supporting New Zealanders following the latest government announcement.
Over the weekend Labour Party Minister for the Environment David Parker made the announcement which will see a ban on some single use plastics. We will see a steady roll out between 2022-2025, so say goodbye to plastic ear buds, disposable cutlery, straws and PVC trays…..We’re not sure why disposable coffee cups and plastic wrap didn’t make this list but hopefully they’re phase two?
This is all in steps to ensure New Zealand lives up to it’s clean green reputation. As one of the top 10 per capita producers of landfill waste in the world, we hate to say it but up until now, that reputation has mostly been down to good marketing.
Who remembers when we banned single use plastic bags in supermarkets? It was only 2019 but it feels like forever ago, changing habits feels like a daunting step until alternatives are provided and it’s mandatory! Take cotton buds for example, we have been using bamboo ones for years, initially an aesthetic driven choice, I’ll be honest, the only real difference being .80c at the checkout…someone has to pay a price and I’d rather it was me than the environment.
These bans have been seen all over the world, so it’s nice to see us catching up, it’s a great stepping stone to a clean green future!
Once coined a modern miracle, plastic has now become our generations greatest environmental challenge, it’s clogging up our water ways, overpopulation our oceans and having a devastating affect of humans at a cellular level, an affect I fear we won’t see entirely for generations to come.
While plastic has served us in terms of technological and medical advances, we don’t need the stuff in our tea bags and cups do we?
We currently have such a linear relationship with plastic, short lived single use applications and it’s simply unsustainable. Thats why makes this collaboration between government, scientists, industry, us, and you so powerful.
Over the month of July we will be sending you tips, inspiration and LilyBee hacks for you and the family so make sure you're signed up to our newsletter!
]]>A burnt-out yoga teacher who decided to create a beeswax wrap business has described the roller-coaster journey of launching her company, cracking the U.S. market, and surviving Covid.
Stacia Jenson (above), was born in America but has lived in New Zealand for 10 years.
She created LilyBee Wrap with her now ex-partner in 2016.
“We started selling the reusable food wraps at the farmers' market and then created a website in 2017.
“I’m an accidental entrepreneur. I was a burnt-out yoga teacher who came to New Zealand and wanted to do something to battle the plastic problem.
“We couldn’t understand why so much plastic wrap covers food because plastic contains chemicals that leeches into food. When I was pregnant, I was even more cautious about the chemicals we are exposed to, and we decided to start LilyBee Wrap,” she said.
LilyBee Wrap - a Westpac business customer - is an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic food wrap.
Beeswax wraps are made by mixing beeswax, coconut oil and damar gum into organic cotton fabrics that can then be wrapped around sandwiches, avocados or bowls. They’re reusable and washable and have so far saved 48 million metres of would-be-used plastic from entering landfill.
LilyBee Wrap is predominantly a female-run business in both production and management.
“Our production team has been scaled back a lot since Covid though because business has slowed. We went from having 25 people in our production team, to now only having three,” she said.
Another hurdle that Covid brought, was disruption to overseas orders from the U.S.
"We started selling to the U.S. market through Shopify a year after we launched and in our second year we started selling through Amazon,” she said.
The wraps are listed as an Amazon’s Choice product and have a 4.5 star rating based on customer reviews.
Logistics during Covid dampened LilyWrap’s growth overseas though and a $100,000 order was cancelled after it had already been shipped to the U.S., which almost put them out of business.
“Our relationships with our other clients helped us get through that experience of losing the $100,000 sale and now most of our sales are coming from New Zealand.
“I’m not convinced that bigger is always better and in the eco-world you have to decide what your values are,” she said.
LilyBee Wrap is a certified B Corp business, which means they meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance to balance profit and purpose.
“I didn’t know how challenging it would be to become certified – even the wood pulp in the cardboard packaging was tested for the location of where the trees were grown for the paper,” she said.
The process was strenuous, but Jenson is proud of what her company has achieved. However, part of her success has been from not lecturing people about it, she says.
“If you’re a zero-waste person, that’s great, but if you’re not, don’t feel bad,” she said.
Her advice to others who would like to start a business is to know yourself first and to know the drivers of why you want to do it.
“Otherwise, you could come out very scathed on the other side. You better know who you are to whether the storms when things go bad. It’s also always important to know your values, whether you’re in the eco world or not,” she said.
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Google 'Living Sustainably' and you're quickly thrust into a world of endless blog posts, showing a seemingly perfectly eco lives, filled with expensive organic clothing, Agee jars to fill a butlers pantry top to bottom and all the right household gadgets. It can feel unatainable.
A theme that had been running through my mind is step by step, piece by piece. The move towards sustainability has to be a gradual one, the integration of new objects into your routine needs to work for you and your family.
Our home peg collection is a perfect example of this, once upon a time I thought buying UV resistant pegs was the best option, to my disappointment they turned brittle and into dust.
Next were wooden pegs, after a winter (a considerably dry winter) the metal had rusted and was ruining our clothing, they were breaking and littering the back yard.
Finally we discovered stainless steel pegs, 100% rust resistant, strong durable, perfect for indoor and outdoor use. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It wouldn't be sustainable to throw away perfectly good items only to replace them with shiny new eco products, you’re better of using something until near point of death first. Maximising it's life span, and learning along the way.
Our top tips for moving towards sustainably are....
Be intentional, make a plan. What items in your house hold are near death and need to be replaced soon anyway, choose are more environmentally friendly version.
What areas are you willing to compromise? For me this is something I have to think about a lot, with a mortgage and children I have to prioritise. Personally I started in the kitchen, I am more concerned about micro plastics and endocrine disrupters found in plastics than I am for example handmade organic clothing. The compromise here is I spend more money in the kitchen, and choose to shop for clothing in thrift stores, ultimately this comes down to my personal priorities when I think of income vs allocation of funds.
Once, my kitchen was more eco friendly I started to look at general household items (solar panels, good curtains to save on heating). Then our wardrobes.....Room by room, step by step.⠀⠀⠀
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It seemed daunting at first, learning all of the botanical names and the individual properties of herbs and flowers as well as the mechanisms and ways they work in the body as well as how each herb affects each other, it’s much more abstract.
Now herbalism feels intuitive, I feel there is a natural understanding of the properties of each herb and how to use them.
Don’t get me wrong, I still feel like I am at the beginning of my journey but I guess that feeling/fear of not understanding something to its entirety feeds the hunger for knowledge.
Chamomile is one of my favourite herbs to work with, for many reasons, I can’t ingest it due to a mind grass allergy but I can use it topically.
Chamomile grows like a weed on our local river bed so it’s easy to forage and it is from a safe and unpolluted source, it pays to be aware of where you forage from, road side plants are not a great option due to road pollution.
Chamomile is well known for its sleepy time properties, but it has so many other benefits!
It contains chamazulene (the chemical compound is named after chamomile as that is where it was first discovered), which is known for its scavenger properties, it gathers up free radicals in the body as well as reactive oxygen species (a by-product of oxygen production), if unmanageable levels of these get out of hand they contribute to cellular stress and inflammation.
Chamomile is anti-inflammatory, and has antioxidant properties, it soothes and heals the skin, reducing redness and inflammation. It can be used to relieve skin issues like eczema, psoriasis and rosacea.
There are a few ways to infuse chamomile into oil, first find a carrier oil that suits your skin, I opt for Sweet Almond Oil but MCT (medium chain triglycerides) coconut oil or olive oil are also good choices. If you’re planning to cook with it, Coconut MCT is preferred due to its stability at high heat.
I prefer the sun method of infusing, perhaps because I’m a traditionalist, I find it’s a lovely gentle process, it also enables all of the constituents of the herb to be fully released.
You’ll need…..
A clean jar
1 cup of dried herbs, if you’re unable to dry your own herbs, these can be purchased from a wholefood store, remember the herbs must be dry as moisture and oil are not friends.
500ml of oil
Place the herbs in a jar, pour over the oil and shake gently, this removes any air bubbles and ensures the herbs are fully covered.
Cover the jar with a Lilybee and leave in a sunny spot for 3 weeks.
Strain the oil through a muslin cloth or coffee filter, label and date.
If you’re wanting to speed up the process you can use a slow cooker, add the herbs and oil and set on low, allow too steep overnight before straining.
Ash Scott
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Ah, we know love is in the air when love hearts, Cupid bows and all things pink and red abound. Reminding us of our relationship status and when we inevitably discuss our feelings around Valentine’s Day with co-workers and friends.
It’s nice to be thought of but I generally shy away from any action done under duress or obligation. I am more of the meaning comes from the feeling kind of gal instead of ticking a box with a last minute card and flowers.
But since my son was born, Valentine’s Day has taken on a sweetness I never knew. He was born on the 13th so that year we flowed into Valentine’s Day on the high of oxytocin and the unconditional love a parent has for a child.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about unconditional love. At times it’s made my heart and head feel quite jumbled. But that often happens on our path to discovery and deeper understanding. Things have to loosen and some even fall away so the light can come in and new understanding can form. When the feelings of uncertainly, pain or discomfort show up we tend to want out of them as quickly as possible and desperately cleave to the known. It feels safer that way, to avoid those messy, hard feelings (Some even confuse the messy and hard feelings as the end point). Most of us have been trained to look at the external to know the ‘right’ and the ‘wrong’ of things. We want to anchor ourselves as quickly as possible because the unknown can feel really scary.
It takes a lot of practice to do something else. To stay in the uncertainty and with the painful feelings. I have been at it for decades and when pain arrives I often have the same instincts we all do. But if I take some breaths and stay with it inevitably the magic arrives. Eventually I find myself sifting through the emotion, going past my desperate clinging mind, and sinking into myself. That real self we often ignore or cannot hear. Finding the centre of myself helps me find the centre to everything else. Even if I cannot see the whole picture I find the next right step.
Sometimes I wonder if that’s what unconditional love is. That centre point in yourself and knowing voice. Because when I act from that place I know everyone around me benefits - no matter if it’s initially a painful experience. I think that’s the kind of self sacrifice that is true unconditional love. Leaving our wants, likes and dislikes, right and wrong, what we think makes us a good or bad person behind and acting from that space of divinity and knowing. Sometimes we have to step off the ledge and into the darkness and trust because that’s all we can do.
So no matter if you celebrate Valentine’s Day conventionally, unconventionally or not at all I wish for you to keep finding and listening to your inner knowing. Acting from this place can be nothing but love and we all benefit. It’s the most selfless thing we can do. It may feel like small steps but this is how we truly change the world.
Love,
Stacia
]]>Stressed getting ready for the Christmas holidays? It’s an easy thing to do. Here in NZ we are preparing for what is essentially a nationwide shutdown. (Barring a few things like grocery stores, gas stations and industries like fruit picking). As an American I used to hate it. Odd hours, things not functioning the way I expected and general inconvenience. I look back and realise I was a foreigner out of step with the internal timings Kiwi’s grew up with knowing. So it felt inconvenient to me and a well earned break for them.
After being here for over 10 years I now love this time and year and see so much value in a nation taking a collective pause. It’s like the whole country gets to hit reset and comes back fresh for the year. But in the last decade I have watched what I assume is capitalism under the guise of convenience gain a foothold here. We come back a little sooner in January and it’s busier before we close down. It’s easy for us to overwhelm our already overwhelmed schedule and feel stressed and depleted this time of year.
Earlier in the year when it became clear we were staying in NZ for Christmas one particularly dear friend and I decided our families would celebrate Christmas at their home in Raglan. We have travelled the world together with our children in tow and have spent holidays together and had many adventures pre and post children. They are really more family than friends so it was an easy and joyous decision.
So stress for our holidays? Other than a potentially over sugared or tired child there will be exactly none. Our experiences rarely feel stressed. So when I heard about other people feeling stressed about Christmas it made me think about what we do differently.
Admittedly all of this is made easier because our values align and we all genuinely like and enjoy spending time together. But the themes that became clear to me circled around ease, a bit of novelty, fun, connection, opportunity for adventure, room for everyone to contribute and space to do what feels right for us.
We love this and I would highly recommend for anyone to try. But what I would recommend even more enthusiastically is to do your own self inventory. What really matters to you? Is it details and decorating, surprising everyone, do you love time in the kitchen, formal meals, music, big crowds, alone time, how does this align with who you are celebrating with? Do the traditions that are time consuming and a lot of work really matter to you? Why?
There are so many ways to create memorable experiences together. You can spend a lot of time, effort and money for a whole lot of stress. Or you can figure out what brings real meaning to your life and connect in those ways with love ones. This kind of connection is vital for our wellbeing.
So even if you are overseas and not able to be with loved ones or are here and celebrating with friends we encourage you to find the things that are meaningful to you and do those. And try to let go of the things that clutter your lengthy list of things to do but matter little to you. Let go of your ‘should’s’ and ‘supposed to’s’ and hopefully this becomes a daily practice and not just one reserved for the holidays.
Love,
Stacia
]]>In case you haven’t heard of B Corp, it’s a global accreditation that certifies companies based on how they create value for non-shareholding stakeholders such as employees, the local community and the environment. It’s a rigorous standard that requires recertification, and for the business to constantly be evolving – if you don’t evolve, you’ll be left behind. The process itself – while incredibly rigouros – actually helped us solidify our thinking and commit it to paper. We were already in line with many of the B Corp values, which was assuring! But it was really about being accountable and not just paying lip service to words like sustainability or social enterprise. It’s about hard choices and real actions that affect real people.
We’ll pause here to say – we are not perfect! So much of what we do is driven by our values and ethos, but we know we can do more. The point is not only are we committed to using our business as a vehicle for change – we are doing something about it too. Small steps can lead to big changes, and our B Corp certification is the ultimate example of this. Over the past few years we have made many both small and powerful changes in the business, which include moving from conventional cotton to organic, getting our entire workforce on a living wage, and putting a Board of governors in place. To have our commitments to people and planet 3rd party verified and recognized makes me so proud.
We are interested in redefining success in business, moving away from strictly numbers on a balance sheet. I value wellness as one of our biggest currencies – in and out of the business. My team will attest to the fact that I operate on a high trust model, and during some of tougher months of the years such as lockdown, I trusted everyone to make decisions about working that was right for them. Wellness – whatever that looks like, leads to enjoyment, commitment, meaning and purpose in people’s lives. It’s not a purely transactional relationship. But it still needs to be balanced with financial reality, and sometimes that means making tough decisions. A big conversation we are having at the moment is donating to charity. We made the decision this year to put some of that money back in to other areas of the business, to help it grow in a sustainable way so that we are in a position to donate to the charities we want to. We are no help to anyone if we go out of business.
It's no secret people love LilyBee Wrap, and this certification is for everyone who does! So you know that when you buy a LilyBee you support something that truly matters, something you can really trust. We get emails every day telling us how glad people are to have an alternative to plastic wrap that works so well. That means a lot of homes across the world have made the switch to LilyBee and are reducing their unnecessary reliance on single-use plastic. We are excited that so many people have made the switch, and so grateful to have you all a part of our journey – here’s to changing to world together, one small step at a time!
]]>I found myself In the garden today. It’s a Thursday and a work day and I am in the garden. It’s also the day after Election Day in the US. If you have followed any news from the States over the last four years you might understand why I am in the garden.
I am not particularly political or patriotic. If truth be told I am not even well versed on Trumps policies or plans. It’s not anxiety that is getting me today either. Although it’s in there. Instead I am in a full throated, tear welling, heartbreaking and inescapably confronted space with the knowledge that as a nation, there is such a strong divide. I am concerned we are so entrenched in the ‘right and the wrong’ of things that we can no longer see the other persons humanity or even feel our own.
There’s a lot of solace I take from living in New Zealand. There’s even more solace I take from LilyBee and doing the best we can to make the world a better place. Both through product, our values, and culture. In a world full of problems that can be suffocating in size and complexity, it’s what we do to make the world a better place. And it feels good.
But today, instead of being contented with my life and waiting patiently/impatiently for the election results I am in the garden awash with overwhelm. This time there is no head shaking and then hand shaking and accepting the results of a close election. No matter the winner the US is a deeply divided nation. That feels like a much bigger problem than who actually holds office. It also makes me feel like we are failing as a society.
With my hands in the dirt I remember a recent chat with a terribly wise friend over cider (it was actually over email but a chat over a cider somehow sounds better),
“The best part of failure is it makes you less judgemental, more compassionate and empathetic. Life can make you cynical but for me the difficult times have made me a kinder person. Possibly it’s my greatest triumph."
I couldn’t agree more. If that’s the only thing I ever accomplish, being a kinder person, it will have been a life worth living. Being kinder, both to ourselves and others, is perhaps the only sensible way forward.
So I finish in the garden feeling more heartened, a little better for the garden being tended, and remember we always have a choice. Life is an endless stream of choices. I am not sure there is a ‘right and a wrong’ of it. But there is conscious and unconscious and what is and is not in alignment with our souls.
I also remind myself that it’s small steps like these that change our world and can be our greatest triumph.
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Food waste is a truly global problem with severe social, environmental and economic costs. The issues it creates are far-reaching and impact people around the world. That said, it is slowly being recognized as a serious issue, as seen with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals noting that “reducing food loss and waste can contribute to environmental sustainability” while at the same time improving “food security and nutrition.” But before exploring some of the ways food waste can be reduced, let’s take a look at the problems it creates and why it occurs in the first place.
Around one-third of all food produced for human consumption ends up lost or wasted, which equates to about 1.3 billion tons per year globally, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This has a dire environmental impact, with food waste being the single largest component of landfills in the United States, and landfills being the third-largest source of methane. Methane that, pound for pound, is 25 times more efficient at trapping radiation than carbon dioxide.
Beyond this direct contribution to greenhouse gases and thus global warming, food being wasted also means that the resources needed to produce it are wasted. For example, it is estimated that global food waste accounts for 45 trillion gallons of water, which equates to 24% percent of all water used for agriculture. And this is at a time when the World Economic Forum lists water scarcity as one of the largest global risks over the next decade in terms of potential impact.
Food waste is also a severe social issue, as while a third of what is produced is trashed, almost 690 million people are hungry — that is 8.9% of the world population. And this is only expected to rise, with an estimated 840 million people predicted to be affected by hunger by 2030 if current trends continue. While the majority of the world’s undernourished are in Asia and Africa, it is still a global issue with more than a quarter of all people suffering from moderate or severe food insecurity.
Additionally, there is the financial impact of food waste, with an estimated cost of about 2.6 trillion USD per year. To put that in perspective, it is roughly equal to the GDP of the United Kingdom. This financial loss is obviously bad for end consumers, businesses and producers alike, but also represents the lost opportunity of alleviating poverty — including food poverty — around the world.
Food waste occurs for a number of reasons and at every stage of the food production chain. It starts on the farms, where large amounts of produce never even makes it out of the field due to natural causes, such as weather and disease, as well as financial reasons such as labour costs or overproduction. There is also a huge amount of culling, whereby food is discarded based on criteria such as size, colour, and sugar content.
In addition to that which is lost on the farms, around 83% of food waste in the United States occurs at consumer-facing businesses and within consumers’ households — 40% and 43% respectively. For businesses in industrialized countries, this is down to a number of issues. One such example is the drive for abundance, whereby both restaurants and grocery stores stock much more than is needed in order to give the impression of plentifulness — and as there is too much produce stocked, it goes unsold and ends up as waste.
One of the biggest issues when it comes to consumer food waste is a simple lack of education. The confusion or misinterpretation of labels such as “sell by,” “use by,” and “best before” can lead to food being trashed while still perfectly edible. A study by the European Commission in February 2018, for example, estimated that up to 10% of the annual food waste in the EU is linked to these date labels. And in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration urged companies to standardize labels to reduce confusion after estimating that “Consumer uncertainty about the meaning of the dates that appear on the labels of packaged foods is believed to contribute to about [20%] of food waste in the home.”
There is a growing number of possible solutions to tackle food waste across the entire food supply chain. But, since households account for the largest portion of food waste, we’re going to focus on simple changes in the home that can have a dramatic impact on this global problem.
First, education! As mentioned, confusion over expiration labels leads to huge amounts of food waste, so take the time to learn what each of the different labels means — and teach the rest of your household as well!
One of the basic differences:
Best if used by — describes the quality, not safety, so products might not be as expected, but they won’t do you any harm.
Use by — applies to very few products that are highly perishable and might have food safety concerns over time.
Another small change that you as a consumer can make is accepting “strange” produce. The demand for perfect products leads to food being wasted before it ever reaches you due to the culling mentioned earlier. If you say “yes” to wonky carrots and weird-looking onions, then they are more likely to make it into the food chain in the first place.
Additionally, start planning shopping and meals so you don’t overstock your kitchen or cook too much — both of which can lead to waste. What’s more, learn what to do with leftovers! Store them properly in LilyBee Wrap, freeze them for longer use, and experiment with recipes that utilize last night’s remnants.
Chances are you will always have some food waste coming out of your home, but even this should be diverted to the compost heap, whether at home or commercially, rather than the landfill. The nutrients can then be returned to the soil and used for the production of more food!
This is a serious issue with far-reaching and highly problematic consequences. But, there are ways to fix it at each step along the food supply chain, and even if it is just small changes in the home, each and every one of us has the power to help tackle the global problem that is food waste.
Find out more about Recycle Track Systems here.
]]>When I say he taught himself, I mean he really taught himself.
Let me explain, he started with a glider bike, begged for a pedal bike that he quickly put in the ‘too hard basket’ because it didn’t have training wheels and I refused to push him around on. He didn’t touch it for months...
It’s fair to note here that from the beginning, everything from sitting up, crawling, walking and climbing, he has developed these skills on his own. My only job was to watch, stop myself from interring (definitely the hardest part), and when needed, follow behind to limit any serious falls.
So I shouldn’t have been surprised this morning when I peeked my head outside to find he had picked up the previously discarded bike and was quietly practicing pedalling. He would get a few rotations and then stop. It was a slow jerky progress and he was muttering to himself as he was practicing.
Instead of interrupting him with my cheers of encouragement and distracting his focus I went back inside (I did secretly video him) and about 30-45 minutes later he quietly came in and asked me if I wanted to watch him ride his bike.
In that short space of time he became fully competent and was confidently riding his bike up and down the driveway. No skinned knees, no encouragement from me, no tears, and no big fanfare.
And that’s the part I find the most amazing. It was a totally self driven experience.
But then I realised this milestone day was actually a culmination of a thousand tiny acts and skills he has developed over his 3.5 years of life. It’s been a million little steps that all came together to make this magic moment of developmental fireworks and notable achievement.
That’s what I have come to discover in business and most of life as well. For me there’s no more big home run swings or race to the finish line of life. I have come to the conclusion that the million dollar moments are only possible because of a million other choices, moments and steps that make those remarkable moments possible.
It’s the steadiness of life that I relish now, mostly taking these little steps, hopefully guided by our values, surrounded by people you care about that makes life magic both in the small moments and the big.
This is one of the ways of how ordinary life became extraordinary for me.
]]>Ingredients
CAKES
2 sticks plus 2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup plus 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 vanilla bean (halved crosswise), split lengthwise
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp. orange food colour paste
GANACHE
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups of chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. orange food colour paste
ASSEMBLY
2 cups chocolate hazelnut spread
12 small cinnamon sticks
Method
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour two mini Bundt pans, each with 12 cavities. Alternatively, use 1 pan and bake cakes in 2 batches.
Beat butter, sugar, and eggs on high speed until well combined, light, and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Using tip of a sharp knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into bowl (or add vanilla extract). Add oil and mix again until well combined.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Add flour mixture and milk to creamed mixture and beat on high speed until flour is completely incorporated.
Fold in orange food colouring, then divide batter among pans, filling cavities three-quarters full. Bake until cake tops spring back slightly when touched. Let it cool in pan 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Chill in freezer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make ganache: bring cream to a rolling boil; remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until smooth. Measure out 1/2 cup ganache and stir in orange food colouring. Leave remainder white.
Once cakes are firm, use a serrated knife to level bottoms of cakes. Place cakes back into pan for stability and use a teaspoon to dig a 0.5cm deep trench around the centre hole of each, leaving 0.5cm of cake on both sides.
Make a cone by rolling up your LilyBee Wrap, leaving a hole at the skinny end. Place chocolate hazelnut spread in the wrap and pipe the chocolate hazelnut spread into trenches to just below level with cake.
Remove cakes from Bundt pans. Wash your LilyBee and then re-roll it into a cone and place orange ganache mixture inside. Pipe a thin orange line along outer and inner rims of cakes. Pair up cakes, turning one upside down and placing on top of the other to stick together. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set.
Wash your LilyBee and then re-roll it into a cone and place white ganache inside. Pipe ganache over cakes, starting in the centre and allowing ganache to drip down the sides. Place a piece of cinnamon stick in the centre of each cake.
Enjoy your Halloween treat and share your creation on social! Don't forget to tag us @lilybeewrap so we can see!
Original recipe on Oprah.com.
]]>Even as this year forced us all to slow down, we didn’t stop ‘doing’. Too often we make it a need to get-up and go, and we get into the trap of thinking 'being' isn't enough. We have to be doing and achieving, but as you know, there is perhaps nothing more satisfying than a Sunday morning lie-in to ease into the day. In fact self care moments and days are about living simply so let this be your reminder that you do not have to achieve anything in ordered to be accepted and loved. You are good enough the way you are! Here's our suggestions of small ways to slow down and appreciate stillness. All you need is a body, and perhaps a little peace and quiet.
DIGITAL DETOX - Don't get us wrong, technology is great! It helps us keep connected to love ones, and we have valuable information at our fingertips. But we all know it can become all-consuming when we are always connected, always reachable, always plugged in. Take some time to unplug each day. Turn your phone off and find somewhere you can relax. Studies show that time away from a mobile device can increase happiness levels. So use this time to relax in your garden, go for a walk, or journal. Start with just 30 minutes, and see how you go. Maybe this will turn into a digital free day or a phone free weekend.
TAKE A BREATH - A wonderfully simple way to find some stillness is to take 5 minutes to notice your breath. This is a form of meditation, but don't let that intimidate you. Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. Try sitting and noticing your breath and how it moves in and out of your body, for 5 minutes. If 5 minutes feels too long, try 2! When you notice that your mind is wandering (and trust us, it will!), return your attention to your breath and keep going. Not only are you training your brain to be more mindful and focused by returning your focus to your breath over and over again. But you are also making an intentional choice to sit in stillness for a few minutes and inviting some slowness into your day.
WAKE UP EARLIER - The way you start your day, usually sets the tone for the rest of it. When it starts in a rush, often times this feeling sticks around and you feel rushed, frantic and behind for the rest of your day. A great way to learn how to slow down is by starting your day a little slower and more intentionally right from the beginning. Getting up 15 or 30 minutes earlier so you can start your day slower is a great and easy practice that everyone can do. When you wake up earlier, not only can you avoid rushing but you can also make time for the things in your morning routine that bring you joy, make you feel good and have a positive impact on the rest of your day.
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Base ingredients
1 cup almond meal
1 cup oats (gluten free if possible) OR kasha (toasted buckwheat).
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 Tbsp rice syrup
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
Caramel filling ingredients
2 cups Medjool Dates (pitted)
2 Tbsp rice syrup
1 cup @Fixandfogg Peanut Butter
1/2 c chopped almond and peanuts
Pinch of salt
Other ingredients
250g chocolate
Step 1
Line a cake tin or container with a large LilyBee Wrap.
Step 2
Place all the base ingredients into a food processor, blend until everything comes together. Press into the lined container, place in the refrigerator.
Step 3
Place all the caramel filling ingredients except the nuts in the food processor, blend until smooth. Add nuts and pulse to just combine.
Step 4
Pour the caramel over the base and place in the fridge to set.
Step 5
Melt 250 g chocolate over a double boiler (we used @Whittakersnz dark chocolate and Almond) and then pour it over the caramel.
Step 6
Scatter over chopped peanuts and salt.
Step 7
Set, slice, devour. Tag us in your creations @lilybeewrap !
Not only do these toxic chemicals affect human health, but they have also been proven to be a major cause of Colony Collapse Disorder, killing honeybees at record rates!
Studies have shown that when a bee lands on a flower treated with many popular and much-advertised pesticides, they attack the bee’s central nervous system, disorienting it, and damaging its thinking and memory. Bees poisoned by pesticides will struggle and often fail to find their way back to the hive, and thus the colony collapses.
Given that bees are our main pollinator, it doesn’t make sense to use pesticides that have been proven to kill them, especially when there are alternatives that are safe, easy to use, and cost effective. Chances are you’ve already got some of these tucked away in your pantry.
Neem Oil - No aphids and fungal diseases
Derived from the Azadirachta indica evergreen tree native to the Indian subcontinent, neem has been hailed as the organic gardener’s best friend. While highly effective at repelling a variety of pests such as mites and aphids, as well as certain fungal diseases like powdery mildew, organic neem oil, when used at correct doses, will pose no threat to people or pollinators.
Unlike chemical pesticides, Neem is biodegradable, breaks down quickly, and leaves no lasting residue. Neem oil is powerful, so be sure that your homemade solution is properly diluted- Fill up a spray bottle, it should include no more than 3% Neem oil. Spray directly on stem and leaves.
Vinegar - Weed killer
Due to their acidic nature, both white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar can be used as effective weed killers. Fill up a watering can or spray bottle and apply it directly to the difficult weeds you’d like to nix. You can also mix up a little cocktail of 4 litres vinegar, with one cup Epsom Salt, and a tablespoon of castile soap.
Epsom Salt - Bye bye Slugs and Snails
An ideal component of any organic garden, Epsom salt is completely safe, non-toxic, and bee-friendly. In addition to being a magnesium-rich fertilizer for tomato and pepper plants, Epsom salts are also an effective way of keeping slimy critters like slugs and snails off your plants. Simply sprinkle salt around the base of affected plants, or apply a half-water, half-salt saline spray to the leaves of plants affected by other pests, like beetles.
Chrysanthemum - Natural pest repeller
Naturally containing a pest-repelling compound called “pyrethrin,” Chrysanthemums can be planted in a garden to repel pests, or made into tea that can be sprayed onto the leaves of plants (after it’s cooled down, of course.)
Pepper, Garlic, and Onion - Kills pesty insects
Just as pepper spray is harsh for human skin, at milder concentrations, it works similarly on the bodies of insects. A handful of chili or habanero peppers, garlic, or onions can be pulverised in a blender with a few cups or water, boiled over the stove, then cooled and transferred to a 4 litre container. Add extra water to make sure you don’t burn your plants, and be sure to wear gloves and protect your eyes when making this mixture.
Castile Soap - Pesticide
Given its much-lauded gentleness and non-toxicity, it might come as a surprise that castile liquid soap is a potent pesticide. Its effectiveness stems from the fatty acids present in the olive oil-based soap, so be sure to use the real deal; dish soaps and detergents will be both ineffective and harmful here.
Mix up a solution with only about 2% soap, and feel free to add a little cooking oil, vinegar, neem oil, or pepper to the mix.
Aluminum Foil - Repel Aphids
Don’t want to throw out the aluminum foil left over from that dinner you made last night? You can re-use it in the garden to repel aphids. Cut the foil into strips and wrap them around the base of plants affected, or tear it up and mix it in with the mulch around your plants. The light reflections will confuse pests and drive them away.
Essential Oils - Ban bugs
An important component of many natural insect repellents intended for bodily use, eucalyptus oil is also an effective method of keeping harmful bugs away from your garden.
Strong, pungent smells are what works here. Other essential oils to use include orange, peppermint, and rosemary. Sprinkle a few drops around the area, or add them to a spray bottle full of water, and apply directly to the endangered plants.
Beer - Not just for humans
A saucer of beer left out at night time in an area that is dominated by slugs and snails will attract the night critters. They take a sip and KO! Literally, you will find dead slugs and snails around the saucer in the morning.
Words by Jessie Baker, find her at @BeesUpTop
]]>Mental health... what exactly is it? For so many we effortlessly slide into a mental funk and that funk is often justified in a lot of different ways. Everything from hormones while you are pregnant, tiredness, weather and an imbalance in seemingly just about anything.
I think most of my adult life I have been unwinding from emotions and patterns that were formed when I was young. Unhealthy compartmentalising and a nervous system that switched to fight or flight mode and then just stayed stuck there. This ingrained pattern remained a habit I wore into adult life and eventually I no longer questioned my state of being, it just became my normal. I was usually outside the box and didn’t identify much with normal anyway. I considered myself 'happy' and life carried me on.
It wasn’t until years later, after the death of a husband, therapy for the obvious grief that consumed me, a move to a new country, a new baby, the stress of a new and rapidly growing business someone asked me a critically important question, “When was the last time you felt joy in your life?”
I remember being stunned. I loved my baby, I thought I loved my life, despite being exceptionally tired I was excited about where life was going. Yes, I was often willing myself through the day and felt like I was in a temporary but long lasting survival mode, but there was a hopeful future. But joy? Unfettered joy of being? I stayed stunned.
At that point I kept forging ahead with all of my ‘should’s’ and ‘supposed to’ and ‘have to do’s’ for the family, for the baby, for the business and time for self reflection was sorely lacking. The talent of compartmentalising was forged in my childhood and perfecting when my husband went into the hospital. My feelings could be overwhelming at times but I couldn’t let them get in the way of getting things done. It was my trusty go-to for getting through.
It wasn’t until a strong bought of anxiety that wouldn’t let me sleep for nights on end that I finally got in tune with myself in a way I hadn’t before. Life had stripped me back to not a lot by this point, and there now wasn’t room to hide. It was a scary time. I kept trying to convince myself that I shouldn’t be scared or have the anxiety I was feeling. I wanted out of my body more than anything, as it felt painful to be in it.
This was the door I finally took that led back to myself.
With my mother feeling helpless on the other side of the Pacific Ocean and poised to get on the next flight, she persuaded me to speak to our family doctor in the States who convinced me to get a prescription for anxiety so I could sleep.
When feeling overwhelmed making sure you are ticking the boxes of sleep, water and healthy food are excellent places to start. It’s often the list I use for my three year old if he has a tantrum and I find it’s a good place for me to start as well.
And that’s where I started this time as well. Sleep and food and water. I remember crying in the shower and that helped as well. Then slowly I started to take stock of my life. My body wasn’t lying. My body was screaming out the truth and would no longer be ignored.
To be honest, I felt kind of betrayed with some of these realisations. I had done plenty of self work, self reflection, yoga, meditation and all kinds of other things. Shouldn’t that have taken care of anything mental or physical ages ago?
But the reality is that it generally isn’t one magic bullet of activity that gets us anywhere. It’s a whole toolbox we develop and pull from and it's in the millions of micro and major decisions we make everyday.
It’s been a process for me to anchor in my body, trust my knowing, balance my life and I imagine it continually will be. The big difference for me know is it doesn’t feel like such a chore. Wellness for me is not a checklist of things I have to do but instead something that constantly changes. It ranges from planting seeds in the garden, a yoga session, Osteo appointment, walk with the dog to a glass of wine, sleep in or a piece of chocolate at 7am. I still don’t always get it right.
Now my decisions are primarily driven by one central question: Does this bring me joy? And that seems to be working for me at the moment.
Stacia
]]>The calendar told me it was spring today. Spring in in the Southern Hemisphere. But when I look at the calendar my brain registers fall. All things pumpkin spice, Halloween costumes, watching the leaves change and everyone washing away the hot dust of summer for cooler months and warmer clothes.
But I have been in NZ long enough that even though my mind still rebels at the idea of September 1 being the start of spring, my body has almost adjusted and can be convinced that it’s true.
Spring is a tricky time in NZ. At the first hint of a warm day I am ready to pack away the winter clothes and store the firewood for next year and take some blankets off of the bed. This me attempting to play my part to help shuffle spring back into the world. I make this wordless pact with the weather and always find it one sided. Inevitably it’s a bumpy weather transition into spring. Filled with warm days with me peeling off the heavy layers, or I assume it’s much warmer out and regret not bringing a coat. It’s kind of an initiation back into warm weather.
Although this year on my many zoom calls I am reminded how other people are still stuck in their homes and how lucky we are to be in NZ. Family members ask me about the restrictions (or lack there of) as if it really cannot be true. Children are at school? You don’t wear as mask? I confirm that in Hawke’s Bay I use just an app and a little extra awareness. I watch people halfway around the world stuck inside and staring down the face of fall and winter. Numbers climbing and restrictions unending. Anxiety around returning to school and wondering who’s right in all of the screaming of the media.
In my 12 years in NZ this is the longest I have stayed in the country with no plans to leave. It’s a strange feeling but also a grounding one. Both Little Bee and I have benefited from this grounding and there’s been a noticeable and maybe inevitable growing of our roots here. It’s a nice feeling.
So this year I lean into Spring. I take delight in watching the leaves grow, the flowers on the peach tree at our gate seem significant. Like I can trust this and this is safe to anchor into. The natural rhythms of the world reassuring. Spring comes no matter if I am paying attention or willing it into being. Spring is here and the signals of the natural world tell me it’s so. Just like I have learned to anchor into my being I also learn I can trust this transition and all that nature is telling me.
I don’t look at the media for stability, others for answers, but instead I am anchoring into nature and my own body and knowing. This understanding is what the blooms of NZ spring have brought to me this year. When I stop and look at the peach tree blooms I marvel at the sense of security and peace they bring me this year.
No sense of urgency or rushing forward this year but I will be watching, absorbing and being present while I cheer them on in their natural rhythm and continue to honour mine.
- Stacia, LilyBee Wrap Founder & CEO
]]>Makes 4 medium size baguettes
Prep time: 3 hours
Bake time: 25 minutes
1. Lightly oil a 2-3 litre square container. (It’s important to use a square tub as it helps shape the dough.)
2. Put the flour, salt and yeast into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook (don’t put the salt directly on top of the yeast). Add three-quarters of the water and begin mixing on a slow speed. As the dough starts to come together, slowly add the remaining water, then continue to mix on a medium speed for 5-7 minutes, until you have a glossy, elastic dough.
3. Tip the dough into the prepared tub. Cover with a LilyBee Wrap and leave until at least doubled in size – about 1 hour.
4. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment.
5. Coat your work surface with a little olive oil, then carefully tip the dough onto it. Rather than knocking it back, handle it gently so you can keep as much air in the dough as possible. This helps to create the irregular, airy texture of a really good baguette. The dough will be wet to the touch but still lively.
6. Divide the dough into 4 or 5 pieces. Shape each piece into an oblong by flattening the dough out slightly and folding the sides into the middle. Then roll each up into a sausage – the top should be smooth with a join running along the length of the base. Now, beginning in the middle, roll each sausage with your hands. Don’t force it out by pressing heavily. Concentrate on the backwards and forwards movement and gently use the weight of your arms to roll out dough to the length of your oven trays.
7. Place 2 or 3 baguettes on each baking tray. Make a dome tent with your XXL LilyBee Wrap to cover the tray without the LilyBee touching the dough. Leave to prove for about 1 hour, until the dough is at least doubled in size and springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 220°C and put a roasting tray in the bottom to heat up.
8. When your baguettes are risen and light, remove the LilyBee and dust them lightly with flour. Then slash each one 3 times along its length on the diagonal, using a razor blade or a very sharp knife. Fill the roasting tray with hot water to create steam and put the bread into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the baguettes are golden brown and have a slight sheen. Cool on a wire rack.
9. Serve with delicious cheese and revel in your awesomeness as you eat your bake! Keep fresh with LilyBee Wrap.
Recipe by Paul Hollywood - for more recipes head to www.paulhollywood.com
]]>The Only Apple Pie recipe you will ever need! An irresistible homemade apple pie filling encased with delicious brown butter pastry. This recipe always gets glowing reviews. Use your LilyBee's to make it 100% plastic free!
INGREDIENTS
Brown Butter Pastry
250g butter
3 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
Ice cold water
Pie Filling
1.5 kg of peeled and diced apple
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp Brown sugar
50g butter.
METHOD
Place the butter in a saucepan, place on medium. Leave the butter for approximately 8 minutes, swirling occasionally.
The milk solids will solidify at the bottom of the pan as the butter caramelises and develops a nutty flavour.
Strain into a glass container and place in the refrigerator until set.
Place the flour and sugar in your food processor, pulse and add the butter until the mixture is sandy.
Add the egg and ice water, mix until the dough forms a ball. Wrap in a large LilyBee and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Place the diced apple, flour, cinnamon and flour in a bowl, stir to coat the apple.
Place the apple mix and butter into a large pot and place over a medium heat.
Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring often.
Place in a large bowl to cool.
Once the apples are cold you can prepare the pie....
Using two XXL LilyBee Wraps.
Place one wrap on your bench, dust lightly with flour, place 2/3 of the dough and cover with the other XXL.
Roll out your dough and line your pie dish. Add the apples.
Roll out the remaining third of dough. Cut and lattice over top of apple filling.
Cover with a LilyBee and place in the refrigerator for an hour.
Brush with cream and sprinkle over raw sugar.
Bake from cold, 180 for 45-60 minutes.
Best served hot with cream or ice cream.
Recipe by Ashley Scott
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But there is more we can do. At the end of the day, whether buying sustainable or not, there are environmental impacts of every product that we bring into our homes. And there are other ways to change the world by taking the time, money and effort towards causes that really matter, rather than buying more things that perhaps we don’t really need…
Here’s other ways you can help change the world without adding to your basket!
And at LilyBee Wrap, how do we walk the talk?
The best advice we have? Think twice about what you buy… and whether you need it at all. Those things that you do buy - choose companies that care. And most importantly, do the best you can and don’t worry about being the perfect environmentalist, because the truth is that none of us are. But together by taking small actions, we become a collective with a far reaching ripple effect – and there’s power in that.
]]>According to the United Nations, if food waste was a country, it'd be the number three global greenhouse gas emitter – just behind China and the United States. Shocking right? What you might not know, is to properly decompose of food, it needs oxygen and then the gasses need to escape back into the atmosphere. But when we put food waste into a landfill, we essentially trap it all with a thick layer of mud unable to breathe, which then stores up methane - one of the strongest greenhouse gases. Environmentally speaking, its catastrophic.
The obvious solution is don’t buy food you aren’t going to eat. But that’s easier said than done – whether you are single and cooking for 1, or have a big family with unpredictable appetites and schedules. Sometimes it’s not just as simple as finishing what you start when it comes to food. A survey in the UK found that 495 million pounds worth of food is wasted every week – that’s 10 million tons of food waste per year just in the UK. And 1/3 of households admit they throw food away weekly (and we’d love to meet the people that don’t!). We’ve all been there – reaching to the back of the fridge only to uncover out of date meat, or half a soggy cucumber or mouldy cheese or bread. Home composting is all well and good, but wouldn’t it be great if we could avoid the food waste all together? Saving resources for those that need it. It’s estimated that 800 million people go to bed hungry every night. That’s 1 in 9 people on this earth who are famished or malnourished. Every one of them could be sufficiently fed on less than a quarter of the food that is wasted in Europe and the USA.
So, the bad news is we are half the problem. But the good news is….. this means we can be half the solution!
Ways to cut down on your own food waste:
Are you trying to cut down on your food waste? We’d love to hear your tips and tricks!
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A Snapshot from Putaanga
Working as a Freelance Photographer alongside her time at LilyBee , means that Putaanga is often on the road travelling between shoots.
She never leaves Hawke's Bay without her set of bamboo cutlery, keep cup,a bowl and wraps for toiletries that need to be stored in a way that keeps them from both leaking and drying out. An essential kit to keep in the car that caters to every “on the road” dining need!
Karla’s way
For Karla on a chilly morning, nothing beats a hot Lemon and honey tea in a tea infuser, it’s always nicer to have a drink from glass when you’re on the way to work.
On a trip Karla will keep her toothbrush wrapped in a LilyBee wrap to keep it clean and separated from everything else, and she never forgets her toothbrush. That’s obvious when you see Karla’s enormous smile!
At home there are suspiciously familiar patterns decorating the pots of Karla’s indoor plants... they’ve been wrapped in LilyBees, adding colour and warmth to the cosy décor. What a good idea!
Regulation tips from Rose
I would love to see inside Rose’s fridge! Rose has a tip that I had never thought of but now that I’ve heard it I HAVE to do it.
Because LilyBee wraps are not see through, Rose colour codes her wraps depending what’s in them.
For example, green colours for green vegetables, red for dairy, multicolours for leftovers etc.
This is a brilliant idea and not one that surprises us knowing how tidy Rose is!
Kezia’s crispy clues
It’s so disappointing buying (or growing) a beautiful, big, crunchy bunch of celery and then opening the fridge the next day and it’s a sad, floppy mess.
Easy! Chop up the celery into sticks and wrap in a LilyBee wrap! Veges stay fresh and crisp for days in the wraps.
Another way Kezia uses them is for wrapping up pills to take when travelling so it isn’t necessary to take the whole lot on the journey.
(Go on! Colour code those toiletries!)
Invite Margot for a meal (hint hint)
Spring is such an exciting and wonderful time for those of us who love to garden. Also for those who don’t, but who just love to experience plants in all their seasons.
LilyBee wraps are perfect for wrapping up a freshly cut bunch of flowers and taking it to a favourite teacher or someone who needs a cheer up.
Margot uses her old wraps to line her raised gardens to keep down the weeds before pouring in soil! Since the wraps are biodegradable this is a great way to re-purpose them.
When invited to dinner at a friends house, Margot will always cover her offering in a new wrap, just a little treat to leave behind. (At this point I’m wondering if an invite is being hinted at!)
An invitation to Megan’s Madness
Out Puketapu way is a farm. This farm has a couple of wacko dogs living on it, not to mention the humans! However it’s the dogs I’m interested in, they have a habit of chewing the pegs on Megan’s lawn and making a huge mess. Until LilyBee stainless steel pegs saved the day! The LilyBee Pegs are not chewable (unless you have iron teeth!) ... definitely not enjoyable for a dog.
The dog’s on the farm each have a pet child, it’s not always a good time to finish a lollipop to the end in one go, so the wraps are perfect for wrapping a half sucked lollipop to enjoy later on! (yuck! Dog’s have questionable standards)
I hope some of these tips have been enlightening, I know I’ll be trying some of these out, and we hope you do too!
It always helps to hear different ideas to get the most out of your LilyBee - and we love hearing new and different uses too! Write to us and let us know about how you use your LilyBee wraps!
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1. Bulk Bin Candy – chocolately treats, yoghurt raisins, gummys and jelly beans – head to your local bulk bin store and see what you can stock up on without plastic wrappers. You could buy a few different bulk lollies, in your reusable LilyBee bags of course, and hand them out in tins or mini paper bags.
2. If you don’t want the bother of making homemade sweets, look for chocolate or lollies that come in compostable packaging, or foil that you can recycle, no plastic in sight.
3. The most simple Halloween food involves fruit - and no processed sugar in sight! Here’s our favourite ideas:
We hope these zero waste treat ideas inspire you this Halloween. Let us know any other ways you're keeping Halloween plastic-free this year over on IG and FB or in the comments section below.
]]>Honeybees make the beeswax we use in our LilyBee Wraps, so it's our duty to help educate our community on the ways we can help them thrive in our environment.
There are a number of things you can do to help, and planting bee-friendly trees and wildflowers is a simple, beautiful and effective way to improve bee health.
Adding these herbs and flowers to your garden are an easy way to help nourish and feed the honeybees, making them more capable of fending off disease and parasites. Use our list as a starting point and tag us on social media with your bee-friendly gardening efforts – we’d love to see!
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Different countries and states have their own recycling rules, but a little research goes a long way. Don’t get stressed with all the symbols and numbers – usually it is quite easy once you know what can and can’t be recycled. Make sure whatever you are recycling is clean and contains no trace of food – this can hamper your efforts and send the items straight to the landfill.
Not strictly reducing waste, but offsetting carbon in such a simple way deems it worthy to enter our list. Ecosia plants trees with the profits of every internet search you make – so far they’ve planted over 60million trees! One of the simplest changes you can make in our opinion, head to www.ecosia.org to start making your internet searches count.
Ladies this is one for you! There are tons of reasons to make the switch from single use tampons and sanitary pads, to resuable ones – but it makes our list for the waste you will save each month. Menstrual cups if looked after can last you up to 5 years! Plus, they are way more comfortable and better for your body. We love Hello Cup, so check them out at www.thehellocup.com.
Cut down on cleaning products by using at home recipes – better for your home and the environment. Did you know that vinegar and baking soda can solve most of your cleaning tasks? Both can be used in a multitude of ways to save you buying specific cleaners for specific jobs. Find a host of recipes online and we’ll be sharing our favourites soon so watch this space…
New ideas and research get released on the daily in the sustainability world, so being part of a community can be a great way to keep you inspired and motivated to live a low waste lifestyle. We have our own group on Facebook – just search ‘All You Can Eco’ and there are many more out there!
- Words by Mea Perkins -
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