Sunday, November 30, 2008

let's (everyone) have a ball!

Great news from Target! I just noticed today that, like they've previously done on the aroma rings, they've reduced the price on two of method's holiday line items! The aroma sticks are now $10.99 (from $12.99) and the aroma potpourri ornament balls are $7.99 (from $9.99) At that price, I'm definitely getting an ornament now, and hanging it from my rearview mirror. See, Target can get it right, sometimes... I jest, I jest, we lust us some Target, ok?

Run out, and have yourself a ball! (Oh, and some sticks, too. But that just didn't work as well with the snappy wording. Sorry, I'll try harder next time. Maybe some dog comment, about fetching sticks and balls. Oh wait, sticks and balls. Now my mind is in the gutter. Never mind. Moving on. Go, get, holiday stuff! Stop listening to me, really. It's not good for you. Bad, bad Nathan. Oh please, you know you were thinking it, too...)

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

daily candy = free hand wash!

Daily Candy is this great website that, each and every day, will email you great deals, new hot spots to check out, and wonderful products you just gotta try! All coming at you from cities like Boston, San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, London, Dallas, on and on! (What, no Greensboro? Oh yeah, we suck.) Anyway, they've just announced a great deal for the Thanksgiving week!

Clean Sweep
Before you stuff your holiday turkey, be sure you’re not a dirty bird. Clean up your act with a 25% Deal on the entire Method collection. Plus, you’ll get a free hand wash with your order.

How awesome is that! I'm not sure if you get to choose your hand wash or not, but no matter, free rocks! So head on over, and get free! Keep in mind you have to sign up in order to get the deal, but it's oh so quick and easy! And then you can receive amazing emails announcing all sorts of cool things, places, and happenings, each and every day!

(PS - Keep in mind there's a "bug" in the promo that tallies your total up wrong at first, but then corrects it when you check out.)

Monday, November 24, 2008

all that's old is new again

After heating up some really tasty apple pie, and pouring a piping hot cup of tea, I was all ready for breakfast! (Yes, breakfast, don't ask. No, I don't usually eat apple pie for breakfast, but man, this is some good apple pie. And hey, is it any worse than those Starbucks muffins and such? Eh, I think not. If so, let me live in breakfast ignorance.) And then I went to grab my cream (I'm an English type of hot tea drinker, I suppose. Gotta have the cream.) and... it was bad. Dang! So on went my blue jeans, out the door I ran, off to the grocery store! Which in my part of the woods, is (mainly) Harris Teeter. (I just checked, they're located in the southeast.)

While roaming down the aisles, cause it was way too early to actually remember where they kept the cream (Dairy aisle, Nathan. Dairy aisle. I know, I know! But it's too early, and I'm tired even though I just woke up, and I want my apple pie!) guess what I found! A brand spanking new cardboard stand of method holiday hand wash! And not just any holiday hand wash, but last years! method said to be on the lookout for their return, in stores other than Target. And the (apparent) difference between this and the recent finds at Office Max, are these look to be new, while Office Max's seem to be leftovers from last year. (I could be wrong on all of this, though. Hey, I'm only human. Well, mostly.)

I remember method's holiday design for last year was imagery with those little plastic reindeers, with the glowing red noses. And this cardboard stand, holding the hand washes, had a snowman on it, with method information. I so wanted to take a pic for the blog, but man, it's like right out in the middle of the aisle for all to see, and I knew I'd be in trouble if I started flicking away with my digital camera! Of course I could wear my method shirt into the store, and look all professional... hmm?

Anyway, all three scents from last year, hollyberry, peppermint vanilla, and cinnamon bark are available at your local Harris Teeter! So be sure to hunt out the little cardboard stand somewhere in your store, cause these hand washes are not on shelves.

+

Plus, speaking of Harris Teeter, right now they are having some amazing sales on method products! Literally every method product was on sale, so check them out and pick up some backstock! You can never have enough method! Well, until you've filled up your entire house with method products, and can no longer live in your home, because it's now a method storage unit. Which I think method might find bad, just cause, you know living on the street so you can have one of every method product isn't really what they had in mind (I don't think, hmm...)

it's raining peppermint vanilla!

Huh! Looks like our dear friend and luster Rebecca has found some peppermint vanilla hand wash at her local Food Lion! Sounds like the "holidays past" lineup is making it's way to that grocery store chain, as well! She says:

"Do you see what I scored?!? Huh huh do ya do ya?

Method Peppermint Vanilla handwash! At Food Lion. ...and like a dumbass I didn't buy 'em out. I'm so going back tomorrow.

Yeah-I *think* I might kinda sorta have a little problem. In my defense, I USE all of these products. Seriously-I use them all. Yes there are 4 Method LeScrubs. Best stuff ever! If I could only buy one method product-LeScrub. No joke.

True confession time-I only buy all purpose and glass cleaner when they are on a killer sale...$2 and below. For all purpose cleaning -I'm a Dr Bronner's girlie. We can go through a bottle of all purpose cleaner in a day. $2 or 2 cents? Yeah-that's what I said too. Still-on sale method is on sale method and girlie will buy it.

Speaking of sales-I scored the lavender all purpose cleaner today for under $2. Last lonely little bottle in the store. It makes me sad that some of the 'non-Target' stores listed as retailers don't really carry method...or will carry ONE product. Sad.

I only whine because I have to drive across town to get my LeScrub...and then I see things like method air freshener and glass cleaner on sale and all kinds of other stuff I don't need. Sigh-that's Target for you. ;)"

+

Head on over to her blog, A Different View, to see more pics (and learn all about her green house cleaning service!)

Losing, Leaving and Buying It All Back

Wow! Check this out!

"A Story about Losing, Leaving and Buying It All Back
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto

In August last year, designer Brian Jones packed a rental van for a move to Chicago and went to bed, planning to clip his bikes on and leave in the morning. When he woke up, everything he owned in the world other than what is in this picture was gone.

No story there; lots of people lose everything in floods and hurricanes. Lots of people run off to Wal-Mart to restock; Brian made it into an opportunity. He wrote:

"Design is used to sell. Period. Whether its the newest Nikes, or someone else's ideals. My job is to communicate their message. And since the dawn of advertising, the overwhelming majority of messages sent to the world, is to want what you don't have. Someone else wanted what they didn't have, which happened to be what I had, and no longer have."

He decided to document everything he bought; to separate needs from wants. "This is about living in a consumer culture and being aware of the things I buy. Since there is so much that I will need to re buy, I thought it would be interesting to keep track of everything I buy. When I start buying back the things that we seem to acquire—usually unnoticed—over time, I want to think about how it will be used, where it's made, how it's made, how long it will last me and what will happen to it when I no longer need/want it."

Everything. From socks to books to shoes. I now know more about what he owns than I do about what I own."

+

Head on over to Buy By Brian to read his blog (and see everything he's bought!) I think this is (while initially sad) rather inspiring! I own SO much stuff, and I always want to cull it down, but every time I even attempt to do this, it ends in failure. (Oh, but I might need that! I know I haven't used/worn/"I still own that?" for years, but you never know, one day...) And there are so many things that really mean a lot to me, and I'd never want to lose. But at the same time, to just have to start over with your possessions, and use more common sense when making those purchases - there's something grand about that. Like a fresh start. Your possessions not owning you any longer. And I think a version of this (minus getting some guys to steal all of your stuff) could be a great thing! Especially with New Years, and all those resolutions just around the corner!

Clear away the clutter! (Nathan, I'm talking to you! Don't you put your hands over your ears, young man! You listen to me now, and you listen good! Don't you dare stick your tongue out at me! I'll come over there! And you don't want that, now do you? Are you humming!? Now look here! Hey, hey, those gestures are NOT allowed in this household! You come back here right now, right now mister! I'm not joking! That's it! I'm throwing all your stuff out, and then you'll be sorry, oh yes you will!...or will you?)

Friday, November 21, 2008

method home

Speaking of deals (see below) I bet many of us forget a favorite spot, method's own online store at method home! (Let's forget the ouch inducing shipping fees for the time being...)

There are lots of discontinued finds still floating about on their site, ready to be snapped up! Are you longing for any of these items, once so readily willing to leap into your arms for a night out on the town; now no longer to be seen, having moved on to someone else? Oh whoa, sorry, I mean, are you missing any of these products? Well, they've been found! How's this for a sampling?

Ginger yuzu and eucalyptus + mint gel and foaming hand wash, fig pill refills, fresh lychee, beach sage, and eucalyptus + mint aroma ring refills; beach sage pill refills and candles, cut grass aroma sticks, the entire bloq body line (wha?!), iconic dish soap bottle in french lavender, green tea + aloe and sweet water hand sanitizer, wet dry sheets in nectarine blossom, lavender + juniper, and water lily + aloe; and that's just what I've found!

So head on over and pick up some lost lusts! (Now who wants to do some donatin' to ole' method lust, so I can pick up some fig pill refills! Ohhh, man! I know, I'm shameless (ahem, donate button located on right side bar.)

Enjoy!

method lust wants you! (really! truly! yes!)

Love method lust? Wanna be a part of the fun? Here's a few of the many ways you can! (Now, see how easy that was! All you had to do was ask! And you were getting all sweaty palms and lightheaded! Why, the very idea...)

+ Be an Advocate Spotlight! Tell everyone why you lust method products! You'll be in the spotlight for an entire week! And it's so easy to do! Instructions here! (And don't be shy, go for it!)

+ Have a review you'd love to share for a great (or hey, not so great; it IS a review after all!) method product? Or wanna write a method retrospect on a past method product you just XOXOXO'ed to death? Send it in!

+ Why not write for method lust? Wanna tell everyone about your thoughts on environmental issues, method as a company, your plastic bag/paper towel success stories, or just a drooling lust for all things method? Send it in!

+ Have you seen a great article online, or in print about method, and (Heaven forbid!) it hasn't made it to method lust yet? (I do miss'em every once in a while! Whew... but I try!) Let me know, and I'll post it up!

+ Have a suggestion(s) about something you'd lust seeing here on method lust? Or something you think could work better? Have a poll idea for the next set of poll questions coming up? YOU guessed it, Send it in!

I really appreciate all your help, and the hugs and kisses you give ole' method lust!

yes, virginia, there are mo' ebay finds!

Some great finds on ebay (at actually decent prices, shocking, I know!)

Uhm, remember that first product? It's the original release of holiday spiced pear, in an aroma pill! (method, we WANT our holiday aroma pills and sprays next year! This is a threat, I repeat, a threat! Are you all with me, method lusters! Let's start a method-olution! Holiday pills and sprays, next year!) And you get two of these babies, for one low price! Not a bad deal for some vintage holiday method!

+ method holiday spiced pear aroma pills $14.99 + $6.80 shipping (2) pills and refills

+ method lavender + lemongrass aroma rings $14.99 + $5.55 shipping (5) rings and discs - this is a really good deal, as five rings in Target would cost you $35 big ones!

+ method sweet water aroma pills $25.00 + free shipping! (8) pill refills - another great deal, as these would cost you $32. bucks in the store!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

our disposable culture

So I've mentioned twice to different people within the last two weeks about how paper towels actually contain plastic (which helps make them more durable, etc.) and they were both shocked! The things you may not know! (This information can be found in the always wonderful method book, squeaky green! I know that's where I heard about this... hold on, now I gotta go look it up.) Which leads me to...

Wow! An amazing article from Life Less Plastic!

"I grew up in a home where paper towels were used for everything. When there was a spill, you cleaned it up with a paper towel. When you wanted to dry your hands, heck, just use a paper towel. These throw-away towels were the solution for everything, and I never thought twice about it.

But now I see that instead of being a solution for anything, they are part of a huge problem--our disposable culture--a sickness that creates huge amounts of waste and is pushing Americans into deeper and deeper debt.

What's Causing Our Disposable Culture?
The causes are hard to pin down, but I think the following are some of the likely reasons we've opted for this new way of living:

+ Allowing ourselves to be over-worked: Americans work some of the longest hours in the world, and therefore have less time and energy for tasks like cooking meals and cleaning. This apparently makes us more likely to buy things that promise to save us time like pre-cooked meals and magical cleaning products.

+ An obsession with convenience: Sometime in the past, oh, let's say 50 years, savvy marketers convinced Americans that convenience is the way of the future. At first, this probably made sense to people, especially since we were (and are) over-worked, but these days, many of these needless products end up clogging our arteries and filling up our cupboards and closets (which we don't have time to organize).

+ Watching too much television: The average American watches 4 hours and 35 minutes of television per day, which is exactly 4 hours and 35 minutes of time spent being persuaded by misrepresentations of what American life is really like and by the commercials and product placements on the air.

+ Credit cards: Average credit card debt in the United States is now at $6,600 per household, which shows that most of us seem to have lost sight of just how much we should really be spending. Instead of being frugal, people feel like they have enough money to buy any of the myriad disposable goods on the market.

+ A misunderstanding of the term "healthy": It seems that people are so desperate to lose weight these days that they will buy any processed food that claims to be healthy or low-calorie. The problem is that these products typically have loads of packaging and are usually a far cry from being good for you. My favorite example right now is Hostess' 100 Calorie Packs of Muffins. You can't find the ingredients on their website (I wonder why?), but I saw them recently, and it was the longest list of ingredients I'd ever seen.

+ A need for cleanliness and a distaste for dirt: It seems like everyone these days wants their homes to be absolutely spotless, but can't handle the idea of touching something dirty. Case in point: this afternoon I read an article reviewing disposable cleaning products from the magazine Real Simple that said, "A majority of testers found picking clumps of hair and dust bunnies off [the mop] distasteful enough to throw their votes in favor of the pricier Swiffer system." So basically people have become so removed from the act of cleaning that they won't even touch dust bunnies? Strange.

+ Fear of germs: Just about every other newscast and commercial I see contains a story about food borne illnesses or scary, scary germs. It seems we're being convinced to live in fear of sickness, and therefore to buy a huge array of cleaning products, many of which probably don't even get used (I mean, it's not like we have time to clean anyway).

+ Fashion, fashion, fashion: Changing in the blink of an eye, fashion is continuously giving us an out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new mentality. And these days, this sort of fashion is spreading to things like refrigerators and the size of your floor boards. Whether we blame HGTV (which is surely part of the problem) or our appetite to spend, the need to constantly replace the things we own is expensive, time-consuming, and bad for the environment.

+ The Symptoms of Our Illness: Obviously things like paper towels and disposable napkins have been plaguing us for awhile, but it seems that more and more disposable products get launched into the American buy-o-sphere everday.

My Questions
Wasn't there a time when people saw value in rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty? What's happened?

How can we return to the idea that living simply and frugally is a valued way of life?

Will people ever see that sometimes the disposable items aren't necessarily better?

And the question on everyone's minds: If we can't find time to cook dinner, why do we have enough time to watch 4.5 hours of t.v.?"

+

And here's a great tip from Graham Hill:

"Paper towels - These things are expensive, take up space, and kill trees. According to the EPA, paper and paperboard products constitute the largest portion of municipal solid waste (MSW). Just go cloth. Anything that is designed for a one-time use should be re-examined, but the paper towel is enemy #1. And c'mon people!...it's not that hard to use a dishtowel. You don't even have to buy one...cut up some of your wrecked clothing and you're good to go."

ho ho glow



Just in time for the holidays, cute pics of glowing method dish soap bottles, highlighted in festive red and green! What could be better than lots of iconic method dish soap bottles beneath your Christmas tree! Well, first they'd have to start making these bottles again... but we can always have sugar plum dreams of them floating around in our heads, can't we? (Hmm, sugar plum, that sounds like a great fragrance idea for holiday 2009! Ahem, hey, anyone listening? Ha ha!)

+

Speaking of the holidays, I love this quote from The Detroit News Welcome Mat:

"Forget the fruitcake. Give someone special, maybe even yourself, an affordable gift of a holiday-scented soy candle, $8, from Method. Scents include spiced pear, frosted fir, toasted hazelnut and winter berry, seen here. Find Method products at Target or go to www.methodhome.com."

parbens: dirty ingredient #1

Over on method's people against dirty blog, Drummond Lawson gives us a short, but informative lesson on those evil parabens (and seriously, you'd be shocked at how many of your products contain them! I about had a stroke when I started looking at ingredients in random items around my house!)

"Parabens are one of several ‘boogie man’ ingredients found in cosmetics and personal care products – ingredients that cause alarm, but that often aren’t very well understood. We don’t use parabens in any of our products, and here’s why.

First off, the science lesson: Parabens are a class of preservatives (meaning they stop bacteria from growing), commonly used in cosmetics and other personal care products like shampoos, body washes and liquid soaps. While they’re cheap and effective, there have been a few concerns about the health effects of using them.

First of all, and most frequently cited, is the possible link between parabens and breast cancer. A 2004 study found concentrations of intact parabens in human breast cancer tissue samples. Even though these concentrations were very low, it showed that parabens were entering the human body and accumulating in cancer tissue. The study did not show that the parabens caused the tumors, just that they were accumulating in them – a smoking gun, but not proof.

The second concern about parabens is their ability to mimic estrogen in the body, also known as endocrine disruption. Even though the effects aren’t fully understood yet, they could also pose a health risk or even be related to the cancer concerns above.

Method’s approach in creating products is to play it safe, use the precautionary principle and avoid using suspicious materials (like parabens) in our products - period. Unless we can conclude that an ingredient will not be a threat to human health (or to the environment), we won’t use it. In the case of parabens, this means that we use alternative preservatives and steer clear of the risk."

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

the great sarah

Yes, the rumors are true. And I'm not sure how I'll survive...

method home's updated their "feeling" statement at the top left side of their site. It now says:

"method is sad."

And with good reason! The Great Sarah... has left the building. method has a wonderful post over on their people against dirty blog.

"farewell to our #1 call girl"
It is with sadness that we bid our #1 people against dirty, Sarah Homeijer a fond farewell. Anyone who calls him or herself an advocate; anyone who’s written us a letter or called in to method; and anyone who’s attended our in-home parties has likely come across Sarah. And for those who have not, she’s undoubtedly come across you.

Sarah has been the friendly and impassioned voice of method’s people against dirty since she started 5 years ago when method was a wee little company with grand endeavors. She handpicked our dedicated consumer response team, founded our very successful advocacy program and is the reason we value advocate-love above all else. It is to her that we owe a lot of who we are and who we’ve become.

If method were a family, then Sarah would be that wild and crazy aunt – you know, that one that bought you alcohol and snuck you into bars when you were seventeen. That one.

Her easygoing and fun disposition; her scrappy and tireless work ethic; and her tireless dedication to keeping us on our green toes have become a glowing example of the spirit and passion of what method’s all about - she not only personifies our culture, she’s also one of its early inspirations too.

Sarah will move back to New York City with her husband, Matthew and son, Silas to be closer to family.

Au revoir, adieu and aloha, Sarah. We’ll miss ya."

+

Ok, no, seriously, everyone at method is amazing! The whole advocacy team in particular is just wow! Wow! But Sarah will always hold a special "method" place in my heart. She was the first person at method I began to torture, over and over, asking what was coming next? Who knew this? How did that smell? And how dare they get rid of (insert fragrance here)! Never letting me down once. And she was a BIG inspiration for what you're reading now, method lust! So when I found out a month ago that she was leaving method in November, well, words can't even describe my thoughts. But, The Great Sarah's gotta do what the Great Sarah's gotta do, ya know? (And hopefully she'll continue lurking around these here method lust parts every now and then. And we'll wave to her, when we see her! Or give her a high-five, or one of those knuckle knock thingies, or some such...)

I'm not good at words, really, but Sarah, well, (I've told you a zillion times) YOU ROCK! Thanks for everything you've done for me, and method lust!

Now everyone, leave her a heartfelt comment! I know she'd lust that like crazy!

Monday, November 17, 2008

clean sweeps

+ Whoa! Check out this awesome chandelier, made entirely from method's iconic (and now vintage, sniff sniff!) dish soap bottles! It's beautiful! method posted this recently on their twitter account! Remember, you can follow along with their tweets and twitters right here on method lust! Just check the right sidebar for updates!

+ Ok, so I almost had a plastic bag battle of words this weekend. Ha ha! Well, to be honest I wasn't in the best of mental spaces at this particular moment on Saturday as I stood in line at Target (you can read all about it over on my other (yes, other!) blog Silver Glitter Falling. It pertains to attending my first ever gay marriage equality rally, and why I ended up attending! Let's just say two close-minded men got me all riled up! Which led me to...) standing in line at Target.

This woman was purchasing some sort of cover for her bed, which was completely in it's own zipped up plastic bag, like they usually come. And as she made her purchase, and as I stood there with my reusable tote in hand; she asked if they had a large plastic bag to put her purchase in. She wanted a large plastic bag to put her plastic bagged cover in?! What the heck? Oh, I was just not in the mood that day. And I was SO very close to blurting out "You know, your cover is already in a plastic bag! Why do you think you need another one? All you'll do is carry it home, and throw the thing away! Don't you know they're bad for the environment! How about you attempt to think before you just blindly go about your life? Huh! Huh?! Don't you love kittens and puppy dogs and polar bears? No, it appears you don't. Cause every plastic bag you take drowns a polar bear. That's right, woman! That's right! Think about that for a moment! Why don't you go over there and pick yourself up a reusable Target tote. Now, do it now! I'll wait! SAVE THE WORLD!" and then my mind snapped back, and I thought "So THAT'S how some of those Greenpeace people get after a while..." No wonder they head into questionable territory with some of their actions. Standing around and watching other people NOT think (or care?) can get to you after a while!

And while standing up for your rights, and beliefs is important; I also realized berating an older woman for taking a plastic bag given the current irritated mental state I was in at the moment MIGHT not be the best medicine to hand out. Peace and love, peace and love. Ah, mom would be so proud!

+ ...and speaking of plastic bags, method's people against dirty blog posted this recently!

"NYC mayor looking to ban plastic bags

There's an article on TreeHugger that's really something to boast about. NYC mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is looking to charge consumers 6 cents per plastic bag (5 of which would go to the city, 1 of which would go back to the store). The hope is to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags and promote the use of reusable shopping bags.

Plastic bags are an inefficient use of non-renewable materials – they take a long time to break down, are brutally ugly eyesores, can interfere with water drainage and recycling systems and, worst of all, are totally unnecessary. Companies around the world churn out over 4 trillion plastic bags a year. Ugh.

While paper bags are a better option in some respects, they are still unneeded waste. This is why we love the idea of promoting the use of reusable shopping bags. They're a much better alternative for the environment and some stores even give you discounts for bringing in your own bag. These bags can be made of a bunch of different materials all varying in their degree of greenness, but what makes them really effective is when you use them over and over and we're all in support of that.

Our own hometown, San Francisco, became the first city in the US to ban the use of plastic bags back in 2007. While we like to think that SF helped pave the way for other cities to realize just how dirty plastic bags can be, we are most impressed by the results seen in Ireland, who placed a 15 cent levy on plastic bags in 2002, and saw a 90% reduction in their use (resulting in 1 billion fewer bags used per year) and raised over 12 million dollars of dedicated environmental program funding in the first year – all things that we’d love to see result from the New York City plan. And in case you didn't know it, we have our own version of a reusable bag that'll help get you into plastic bag rehab too."

method holiday fragrances

method's very own official people against dirty blog has a great post on their new holiday line, and a Q&A session with method fragrance expert, Suzanne McCormick!

"by julie kim, November 13, 2008

You may have noticed that we have a few new kids on the block when it comes to our new holiday fragrances. We sat down with Suzanne, our in-house "Scents & Scentsibility" expert (yes, that is her official title), to get a closer look at how the new fragrances came to be.

What was the inspiration behind the new fragrances this season?
Nostalgia - we wanted these fragrances to evoke happy memories of holidays gone by... and hopefully create new ones for our little consumers.

What were the big challenges in creating these new holiday fragrances?
Since it is all about tradition... there are particular fragrance notes that are meaningful for this season. We wanted each to be a winner in its olfactive family and, as always, we aim for a well balanced portfolio.

How were the final fragrances picked?
We worked with an internal panel made up of a cross-section of method employees (product development, creative, and brand experts). We go through multiple rounds of submissions starting with a broad range of fragrances and then narrow them down to the final ideas. We are always modifying the fragrances right up until the last minute to get them just right.

C'mon, tell us - what fragrances didn't make the cut?
I never kiss and tell... unless I am under the mistletoe

What's your personal favorite?
All our fragrances are like my little babies... you love each one for different reasons. I hope that there is something for everybody as people take the time to prepare their home to welcome family and friends during this special time of year.

Okay, so even though Suzanne wouldn't tell, we'd love to hear what your favorite holiday scent is. And if you want to take a look at all our new holiday fragrances, you can check it out here."

+

Uhm, yeah, so I would LUST her job like crazy! I'm so serious. I know there is much more to it than sniffing things all day long (or is there?) but really, REALLY, I have such an addiction to scents, I think this kind of career would be freakin' amazing... ah! Oh well, I'll keep dreaming of my life as a bloodhound, and we'll all keep buying method holiday products! (Yeah, cause they like, rock! Ohh, frosted fir and spiced pear. Ohh... Sorry, I need a little alone time with my two favorite holiday scents, ok?)

gift the planet this holiday season

Over on the blog paw luxury, there's this great article on how you can be more environmentally friendly this holiday season!

"Its that time of year again!! Tis the season to give gifts, lots of gifts. But while you are decking the halls with bells of holly, basting the turkey, humming to the tune of Jingle Bells, scouring the aisle, browsing the web for the latest gift must haves, and nestling your children in bed as they anxiously await the pitter-patter of footsteps of Ol' Saint Nick & Rudolph . Since Christmas is the season of gathering, giving and spreading the Christmas cheer we can't forget to give back to the planet. Here are a few simple ways for you to be kinder to the planet over the holidays.

+ Conserve Energy Use LED Christmas lights and say so long to that costly light bill. Consider that low light bill a Christmas gift from Mother Earth!

+ Something Old, Now Something New Some of the best gifts given are made from the heart, by using recycled or salvaged materials instead of buying something brand new keeps materials out of landfills and collecting dust. But if you are still on the look out for high quality goods try flea markets, vintage and second hand shops for affordable and quality gifts from books, accessories, art, and bone china to everything in between. With a little magic, zero VOC paint, time, creativity, personal touch beautiful reused ribbon, and recycled gift-wrap. Whoa-lah the perfect gift and a great way to spread some Christmas cheer for the receiver and the planet.

+ Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Instead of purchasing commercial gift wrap you can wrap gifts in reusable gift wrap store in that attic chest in your attic, scrap cloth, reuse newspaper (the Sunday Funnies), scarf, magazines reuse, gift bags or purchase reusable shopping bags that the receiver can use all year round.

Click here to watch Danny Seo, author of "Simply Green: Giving," shares some gift wrapping ideas that are less wasteful and thrifty with Julie Chen.

+ Purchase Consumables Give the gift of a bouquet or seeds to be planted in the spring, dried fruit & nuts, fair trade coffee, organic tea, a plate of organic hand made cookies that won't leave a trace. While the food and drink will be eaten, the flowers can be composted. These are gifts you won't find lurching in the dark corners of your friends closet when you come visit. Also, you want have to worry about having the gift re-gifted back to you.

+ Buy Local For the person who has everything buy local and unique gifts that tell a story. Buying locally shipping is not required thereby reducing CO2 emissions. Just with what ever you purchase make sure you know the recipient and that they will use it.

+ Creative Gift Tags & More Create gift tags made from last years Christmas cards that are beautiful, artistic & creative instead of purchasing gift tags. Also use ribbons like raffia or things from nature to add that special touch from pinecones, to twigs, to berries instead of synthetic ribbon. This could be great for family bonding. This sounds like the start of a wonderful holiday reef to adorn your door & fireplace. Also using the same materials you and the kids can build memories and create handmade ornaments to dress the tree. So get crafting DIYers (Do It Yourselfers or Martha Stewart fans)

+ Dine by candle light Turn off lights during Christmas and dine by candlelight. Use soy, vegetable wax or beeswax candles, which are made of sustainable ingredients. Not only does candlelight create a soothing, beautiful, elegant mood. You conserve energy and help the planet. The perfect mood can be complete with out a little Bing Crosby & Sinatra Christmas serenade.

Paper or Plastic Better yet neither, Skip the disposable tableware for dinner and parties. Instead opt for bamboo tableware or grandmas china. But if you are hesitant about tending to a pile of dishes either enlist the help of Fido or use disposable recycled paper dinnerware.

+ Eco-friendly & Energy Savings Gift Consider giving the gift of carbon offsets for that commuting co-worker or a Zipcar membership for friends and family who use taxi's to get around the city. Check out Carbon Fund and Terra Pass.

+ Local & Organic Festive Feast Prepare a local, organic Christmas feast using the best locally grown, all natural seasonal, and free-range ingredients minus the chemicals and pesticides. So dig in and gobble gobble!

+ Decorate then Plant the Tree Buy a potted or balled Christmas tree (roots still attached) so you can replant it in the backyard or donate it to the parks department. Choose a real one that's grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers—ask local merchants if they have an organic farm supplier—or order from Freshchristmastree.com, a grower that ships to 46 states and uses sustainable methods. Then recycle: many municipalities collect trees to mulch.

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Great ideas! How many of you have already started your Christmas shopping? Yeah, I haven't even thought about it yet. I'm so last minute. Or lazy, not sure which. No wait, I'm totally sure of which. But I'm gonna plead the fifth on that one, ok? Try a few of these ideas out this holiday season! (And don't forget to get friends and family method for the holidays, this year! You KNOW they'll lust it!)

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

holiday on the go

Hey, we all spend a crazy amount of time in our cars (and trucks!) What better way to enjoy it just a tad more, than decorate the crap out of it for the holidays! Yay!

method's green living expert, Danny Seo, and method lust reader Steve both mentioned recently they've taken the new method holiday potpourri ornament, and hung it from their rearview mirrors! What a wonderful idea! To be honest, I hadn't planned on purchasing one of these. They were just a bit pricey, and no refills are available once the potpourri loses it's spicey pear, or winter berry scent! But steve came to the rescue, mentioning replacing the potpourri with aroma ring refills! Awesome!

So I'm really starting to think this whole rearview mirror thing is a great idea! But here's my question. Uhm, I don't see how the ornament loop would fit around a rearview mirror. Did you cut it, then tie it around the mirror? How'd you get it up there?

What does everyone think? I might just have to head out and pick me up a spiced pear ornament... honk if you lust the holidays!

candle, candle burning bright

Speaking of method candles (see the below post), check out this wonderful pic featuring method's first ever candle line! This is a shot of what the candle jars, and boxes (yes, they used to come in boxes!) looked like! The scents were (from left to right): gardenia, creamy vanilla, french lavender, red currant, sweet water, and pink grapefruit!

(I've still got me a creamy vanilla, gardenia and original sweet water in my candle cabinet! Yes, I have an entire cabinet set aside for candles. I need a lot of help. And therapy. And debt management. (They're not all method, though. Shh, don't tell anyone!)

even mo' ebay finds!

Paging James, paging James! (He's the one that snatched up the previous two premium candles available on ebay!)

I've found yet another great method premium candle line find on ebay! This time around it's an apple honey candle. The going price is $6.49 (no bids as of this writing), shipping is a (crazy) $6.20; with 5 days to go on the auction (unfortunately, there is no buy it now option.)

Pick it up before it's gone! And you can read more about the premium line here, on method lust.

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Also, don't forget there is a method premium candle in fresh laundry scent available in the method market! See the sidebar for the method market image, and click it to see what all is available!

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Oh, and James, let me know what your thoughts are on the two premium candles you purchased on ebay, when you receive, and try them out!

the bigger, the better

method luster Quill writes in asking (hey, I sound just like a radio announcer!):

"Last week I accompanied my parents to Costco, partly in search of Method goodies. Unfortunately, all I found was two scents of hand wash, neither of which I favor (I'm very picky) but I have never seen this size of container before! I was boggled, the things are huge. I took two (bad) photos just to send to you--have you seen these anywhere? They're teardrops, but ginormous, with carrying handles on top. One photo has my hand as a size comparison, and I don't have small hands."

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You know, I love these bottles! They're like the Sasquatch of method products! Whenever you see a photo of them, it's always some bad, blurry, dark image. Luckily for us, as I'd posted here on method lust back in July, Marvo over on The Impulsive Buy did a complete review of those gigantic-sized bottles, complete with a clear photo, and uhm, a very unsettling video. So if you haven't seen these bottles, and want to know more about them, check this out!

Monday, November 10, 2008

holiday shout-outs

Some great comments (and compliments) on method's new holiday line, from around the internet-o-sphere!

Kelly over on Green Daily says:

"I'm a big fan of Method products. They list their product ingredients on their website and they smell fantastic. I'm completely aware that I am also a sucker for their packaging and their marketing. Finally, they're convenient as long as there is a Target or Whole Foods nearby. Just when I was getting bored with their current "flavors," Method has released fresh new scents for the holidays.

For a little hint of winter, try their 100% vegetable wax candle in a recyclable glass votive. This year's scents include toasted hazelnut, winter berry, spiced pear and frosted fir. [Scratch and sniff computer monitors would come in handy right about now.]

Three other great products for a delicious smelling home include Method's aroma sticks to diffuse scent into the room, a decorative potpourri ornament, and their "outlet free" bamboo aroma ring.

My favorite Method products are their hand soaps. Method has extended their seasonal scents to their non-toxic, triclosan-free hand wash. I keep one bottle by every sink in the house. It is the ANTI anti-bacterial answer.

If you can't decide on which products to buy, Method has made it easy for you by combining all of their offerings in one kit with a reusable shopping bag for only $32. There is no excuse to not get into the holiday spirit with these earth friendly products."

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While a poster over on a Disneyland forum (of all things!) says:

"The new Method soy candle called Frosted Fir smells exactly like flying over the snowy mountains in Soarin' Over California!! I even held it up to dd's nose and said, "Quick, where have you smelled this before?" She answered correctly!"

holiday specials!

Just wanted everyone to know, right now Target has some great method price specials going on until the 15th! They've got all the holiday hand washes on sale for $2.66, as well as all aroma sprays for $2.99 (one dollar off!), and a few other special prices going on in the aircare aisle!

But the biggest surprise was Target reducing the holiday aroma rings (as it's not listed as a sale price, but instead the regular shelf price sticker has been replaced) from $6.99, to $4.99! What a deal! So while I'm not personally a huge fan of the aroma rings, I finally snagged me a purty spiced pear ring for my bedroom!

Rush over to Target while the specials are still, well, special!

ketchup, anyone?

Every once in a while, I'll be sitting at the dining room table, twiddling my thumbs, and decide I need to dream up new ways to use empty method ceramic candle jars! (I mean, don't you do this? Everyone sits around and suddenly decides they need to come up with new uses for candle jars, right? Right! Ok, whew, good. I'm glad you're in agreement. Yes, yes, total agreement. Total...)

One of my favorite new ways actually happened by accident! I had been meaning to purchase some new baking soda for the refrigerator, to keep it fresh and the food great tasting; BUT decided I didn't want to sit the box in the fridge anymore. I wanted to find a "classier" way to do it. (it's a gay guy thing, automatically attempting to "class" up everything! No, seriously, it is. I swear it.) So I decided I wanted to pour the baking soda into a container, but couldn't find anything that really worked around the house - until I stumbled upon my empty ceramic candle jars! TADA! Classy, simple, keeps the fridge fresh, and no tacky open Arm & Hammer baking soda box (and yes, I know they have those stick up "smoke alarm" looking ones, but hello, they charge you an arm (ha ha, get it Arm & Hammer, oh I kill me) and a leg for those things, when you can buy a simple box of baking soda for sixty seven cents!)

Then, looking over to the fridge door, I saw all these packets of ketchup strewn about, and went DING-DING! In another jar they went! All nice and clean, leftover ketchup from all the random food take-out places, not wasted, ready to use, and hey, now I don't even have to buy any ketchup (they always throw so many packets in your bag! That, and oh yeah, I'm a frugal kind of guy. Frugal. Which really = poor. But Frugal sounds so much more pleasant, now doesn't it. Almost like you're poor, in France! Oh, now I feel all snooty. Poor, but snooty!)

Give'em a try, or come up with your own ways to use those empty candle jars! (I know you got like, a zillion. We all do! Cause we lust us some method candles! Ah, yes...)

Friday, November 7, 2008

ho ho contest!

I said HO HO contest. Two Ho's ok. Come on people, let's get it together here!

Anyway, Danny Seo, method's green living expert, has a holiday contest going on, now until November 11th!

"Tis the season and Method is spreading holiday cheer by giving away a few Winter Berry Potpourri ornaments and our new limited edition bamboo Aroma Rings to one lucky Daily Danny reader.

The Potpouri ornaments are a modern and sweet-smelling way to add natural fragrance and scent to your holiday tree or just to hang in the window in your home. It features natural wood beads inside the ornament, which makes it biodegradable and a more natural choice for your home. I am actually thinking of hanging this from my rearview mirror to give a little holiday cheer to my car.

And for a limited time, check out the bamboo Aroma Rings for sale on methodhome.com. This delightfully modern air freshener will look cool in almost any home environment.

Okay, to win, leave a comment and tell me how you're planning to go green this holiday season. One lucky winner will receive a box of Method goodies (including the potpourri ornament and bamboo aroma ring). Be sure to leave a way that I can get in touch with you if you win!

Contest closes TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11th. GOOD LUCK!"

Head on over, and enter! (And be sure to mention method lust sent you!)

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

jingle jangle

As I'm sitting here burning my frosted fir candle (yes, yes! I'm early! You know, I try really hard to draw that whole fall first, then holiday/Christmas line. And I've decided my scents (because it's really important to make decisions like this, you know! The world depends on it!) that this year spiced pear and cinnamon bark are my fall/Thanksgiving scents, with frosted fir and hollyberry rounding out the holidays!) BUT I decided last night I wanted to really give my frosted fir candle a good try, so here I am, burning away!

Which got me to thinking, I know, it's a month away, but we're insane! We're crazed! We're obsessed! So I know a lot of us method lusters have already picked up their holiday line (or at least some of it!) And I'm wanting to know, what are your thoughts so far?

What scents did you pick up? What products did you pick up? What do you think of them (scents and products? Smell great? Work well?) Missing anything from the holiday line that method has produced in the past? Think the line-up this year is simply perfect? Let us know! Comment away!

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PS - I guess frosted fir is doing it's thing! I had it burning at work as well (I know, I'm crazy!) and my boss walked through going "Hmm? What's that smell? It smells like a Christmas tree!" and I told him it was my (method!) candle. I can't decide if it's too hollyberry, or has enough tree scent; but apparently he's proven it definitely smells like Christmas tree!

method's feelin'

method home's updated their "feeling" statement at the top left side of their site. It now says:

"method is warming up. for the winter with new holiday scents available in-store exclusively at Target."

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

vintage holiday

Holiday is here! (Wha, huh? Something called Thanksgiving? Oh yeah, that. Anyway!) Holiday is here!

So I'm planning on taking a look at method during hoidays past. I thought you might all enjoy this quick pic of method holiday hand wash, vintage style! I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this is probably method's first holiday foray, featuring hollyberry, mistletoe, and snowy days hand wash! (And check out the cute snowflake on the bottles!)

Did any readers out there get to try these products? Of course we've gotten our share of hollyberry (yay!), I have (yes, have!) some snowy day hand lotion, and a candle; but I've never seen mistletoe! Oh, and check this out! Over on giantsavings.com, they list method hand wash, and HAVE mistletoe in the drop down list! Do you think it's still actually available from them? I have my doubts. I've heard bad stories about giantsavings.com (they charge you, then say they're out of stock at the moment. And it takes them forever to get it to you.) Do you think this would happen with the hand wash? Has anyone tried giantsavings.com. I'm SO curious! If a box arrived at my doorstep with mistletoe hand wash in it, I think I'd faint! FAINT I tell you! ahhh!

holiday confusion

Oh well, poo. I was so dreaming of sugar plum fairies, gingerbread lattes, and the wonderful whiff of frosted fir aroma pill plug-ins throughout my home! After all, you can light a candle, but it takes a while to get the scent throughout the air; whereas those aroma pills are just working away, all day long (not unlike santa's elves!)

But there appears to have been some confusion. A while back I asked methodtweet (method's very own twitter!) if we were receiving holiday aroma pill refills, and received a response telling me that aroma pill refills for the holiday scents will be available in stores, though not on method's own site. Peppermint vanilla will be selectively included, as well! Yay!

Well, I just received word yesterday letting me know:

"There are no pill refills hitting Target. The Target set is completely new this year. Last year's scents will return to non-Target stores."

So, sniff sniff, no frosted fir, toasted hazelnut, winter berry, or spiced pear pills this year. (Really, method, you've GOT to have pill refills or aroma spray! I demand it! Next year, ok? Promise me, next year!) I'm not sure what "non-Target" stores they mean, but if anyone sees anything pop up, let me know! When I receive more information, I'll let YOU know!

Monday, November 3, 2008

the laundry list

method co-founder Eric Ryan is featured in the latest issue of Dwell magazine! The November 2008 issue is still out now, so be sure to head out and pick it up! Inside you'll find a great article on choosing more energy efficient, greener laundry washers and dryers!

But what really got me even more interested in this article is the great pic of Eric, AND what's hanging behind him! Lots of method drawings, many of their current product line! BUT, it also contains "what-if" drawings of what some of the line might have ended up looking like! In the above pic you'll see, to the right, different drawings of their new candle design get showcased!

In this pic, you'll see different soap shapes for their bar soap (I actually lust this round bar/tear shape idea they worked up! Hopefully they'll give this a try, one day!) As well as some sketches of their aroma bead ceramic burner they released with the 2007 holiday line!

I think these are great to look at! I know they have an entire wall in the method offices full of tons of sketches of current (and future!) products; and they can't (currently) give tours of their offices (because they don't want to give any of their secrets away!) So I feel this is a cool sneak peek into some of their inner workings (and I especially love it, being an artist myself!) Be sure to read the entire article, pick the magazine up today!

winter is here!

...well, at least in scent form! (And in the north! The south will just have to wait a tad bit longer.) method has added the holiday line to their method home site! It includes the usuals found at your local Target stores, as well as a three bundle packages! Here's what they say:

"deck the house with good scents this season. we've put together some of our best smellers in this limited edition kit, and we're offering it up at a special online price. a bamboo aroma ring, potpourri ornament, soy candle, hand wash and mini soy candle trio, all in fresh seasonal scents...heck, we'll even throw in our reusable market tote. makes a perfect gift, but if you want to keep it all to yourself, we won't tell."

The price is great at only $32! It comes in winter berry, spiced pear, and a combo bundle that comes with winter berry in aroma ring, large candle, and candle trio; spiced pear potpourri ornament, and a toasted hazelnut hand wash. All in a reusable method tote!

So throw on your scarf and gloves, hop in the sleigh, head on over, and pick some up!

eco-challenge winner!

The eco-challenge winner has been chosen! And it's Erica Erler! Here post was:

"I use some of my knitted cloths for a pretty odd purpose. My three year old son is potty training, but still sleeps in his crib. If I take too long to get him when he wakes up, he'll strip, then pee over the side of the crib. So I've started putting a few layers of cotton knit cloths on the floor in his "favorite" corner. They're easily washable, and it beats shampooing my carpets every day! Just wanted to share it with you! (I also do the normal things, like bathing and cleaning with them, just so you don't think I sit around knitting things for my kid to pee on!) LOL!!"

Congrats! And thanks again, kaoticorchid, for such a great contest!

level fuchsia

Ok, folks, you know how when you go flying, the terrorist threat level is ALWAYS at level orange. Like, always. Well, that's what's happening with the advocate spotlight! Except we enjoy a nice bright fuchsia. Level fuchsia, folks, we're at level fuchsia! Panic! (or don't, just like when you're at the airport, cause well, it's ALWAYS at level orange.)

We need us some spotlights! And I know everyone reading this here blog isn't THAT shy. Give us a pretty smile, a couple words, and you'll make this little luster (and all the readers) very happy! It's OH so easy.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

scrubbed

Oh no! While roaming through Target today (50% off Halloween, baby! Oh, my aching teeth. Actually, no, I was good. I stared at the candy for like half an hour, going "a whole bag of Reese's cups, who wouldn't need those?!" While this Target employee kept coming around asking if I needed any help (If I told you the first six times over at the peppermint patty aisle that I didn't need any help, why are you asking me in the Reese's cup aisle? Hmm? Man, some people. They just don't get it when people stare at bags of candy trying to talk themselves out of such a great buy!) Finally he came up to me and said "Sir, put the bag down slowly, and step away." Ok, no, wait, he didn't do that, but I was imagining that would have happened sooner or later. Whew! But, uh, I did it! I ran for cover, and walked out with no bags of candy!)

Wait, wait. This was a method post, wasn't it? Oh ok, so sorry! So anyway, I roamed the method aisles, and guess what I found. The marine naturals sea minerals body scrub is being clearanced by Target. Boo! It was on first mark down at my store, so if you're a luster of the scrub, I'd run out and stock up before it's gone. After that, you're only luck will probably be the method home website. (As I don't think it's being discontinued. Just clearanced at Target.)
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