Jayson Home and Garden

I do a lot of research online and read many magazines - probably too many! I always come across products that I fall in love with. I wanted to share this shop with you because they have so many amazing things. They can be pretty pricey but my picks are items everyone can afford. I hope you like them as much as I do.

Butterfly Plate - $48
I just think this plate is beautiful. I love butterflies especially when they are drawn so well. They sell a ladybug and a moth plate that are just as cool as well as a few bird plates so check them out too.



Spouting Whale Tray - $112
I love whales! This illustration is to die for. It really makes me wish I had $112 lying around waiting to be spent, haha. Its really not that badly priced, especially for decoupaged glass, but for now I can just dream :) This would look great on a table or dresser or even hung on the wall.



Marseille Tray - $24
How cute is this? Thank God its affordable!



The Journey of the Bees Candles - $24
I love that these are made with beeswax and they come in tons of different scents. The packaging really gets my attention too. So clever and modern.

The Bigger Picture

My boyfriend and I were having an interesting conversation the other night. We were talking about how people feel the need to break things down so they can fit into more categories. Fore example, there are many different types of vegetarian. From the octo to the lacto to the ovo to the flexi, its just ridiculous. I know I haven't been a vegetarian long but c'mon. Honestly, in my mind there are only two versions: Vegetarian or Vegan. That's it. Nice and simple. If you eat fish, than sorry, you are not a vegetarian. So instead of telling people you are just tell them the truth and say you are Pescatarian. Are fish not living animals? Geez, give them some credit too. Its things like this that really annoy me. And you see it everywhere.

I guess I am not a big believer in the gray area. You know, the space between one issue and the other. If you're really passionate about something you have no limits. It's either you care about the Earth or you don't. For someone to say they love the Earth and they consider themselves a "green" person but eats meat, doesn't recycle and cares more about buying the new Gucci bag than helping a good cause, they are not who they claim to be. Not only are they liars but they are friggin clueless to what is really important. There are a lot of people out there that don't see the bigger picture and that is the biggest problem of all.

Why do people feel the need to create "gray areas" so they can feel better about themselves. For someone who wants to turn veg but is just too weak and selfish to do it, they still eat fish. If they don't claim to be veg, than fine. But a lot of them do and its a lie. This shows that people want excuses to do things half assed. "I need to eat fish, its good for you" - yea, ok. You don't need to eat anything that has a heart beat. Period.

I have always felt this way about this issue. People create loopholes so they get some breathing room. I just think its lame. The excuses really need to stop. How are we going to get anywhere in the world if we don't be real with each other? If you're going to do something than do it right the first time. You can take baby steps to get there but don't claim your something when your not. Do the best you can and be aware of your surroundings, don't ignore them. We all need to be strong so the world can evolve for change. Know who you are and stand up for what you believe in. But know this, the universe is grand and the Earth is the only connection we have in order to be a part of it. We need it to live. It doesn't need us. It is our responsibility to keep it clean, show it love and respect its gifts. If you can't understand that than what kind of Earthling are you?

Or maybe you are just a simple human being that doesn't see the bigger picture....

Revolt Q&A with Renee from Farm Sanctuary

When I visited the Farm Sanctuary last month, my tour guide was very informative and inspiring. Her name is Renee and she has a huge heart. I immediately felt comfortable around her during our tour and it was plain to see she belonged working there. Animals are her life and they have always been a big part of who she is. I wanted to have a Q&A with her so everyone can learn more about the Farm Sanctuary and how living a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle has so many benefits. She is young, spunky, talented and cute to say the least! I hope you are all able to collect some positive information from our interview that may help you grow, change and realize there are amazing people out there who are making a difference.



How long you have been a vegan and what was your experience like?
I have been a vegan for about six months now but transitioned for the last year. I went vegetarian when I was 10 years old. However, as I got older and started learning more and more about how interconnected the meat and dairy/egg industries are, I decided to make the switch completely to veganism. Even when I was only vegetarian though, I drank mostly soymilk and didn’t eat eggs for breakfast, that kind of thing.



Did you have support from friends and family when you made the change?
I actually had very little support from my family when I went vegetarian. My parents had both been vegetarian at an earlier part of their lives, but had since switched back to eating meat unfortunately. Surprisingly, they were not supportive of my diet because they didn’t think I would get enough protein, which is funny because studies have been done that show Americans actually end up eating way too much protein throughout their lives and causes other health problems. Plant based sources of protein are of course better because they are not high in saturated fat like meat, dairy and eggs. So anyway, my parents didn’t like the fact that I was vegetarian but I stood my ground because it was important to me and I knew it was the right thing to do. Later on when I decided to adapt to a vegan diet I did receive a lot of help and support from my friends so that was really great!!

What are your reasons for going vegan?
My reasons for going vegan are purely ethical. I truly do not believe in the exploitation of animals for human benefit. I went vegetarian first for the same reasons. The fact that being vegan helps the environment and my health are just “extra” benefits to me. I have cared for animals deeply ever since I was a very young child. They have been my most loyal friends ever since.



How long have you worked at the Farm Sanctuary and what inspired you to work there?
I have been working at Farm Sanctuary for about a month now. I started in early May. I had known about them ever since I became involved with animal welfare issues. I also grew up in the area so I always dreamed of working there after high school when I actual had a car of my own, haha. So naturally it has been in the back of my mind for a long time now. When I got a car and got more settled in to an independent life, I looked into working at Farm Sanctuary more. I wanted to be an intern for the month of January but unfortunately they already had enough interns for that month. Then one day on a fluke I was searching the jobs section of Craigslist and I saw that they were hiring tour assistants. So I called up and was able to get and interview and was then hired later on.



How much experience do you have with animals?
I have quite a bit of experience dealing with animals. When I was younger, around ten or so, I worked on a dairy farm where my job was to feed the baby calves. Working there really fueled my passion to help animals since I saw firsthand how inhumane even a small family owned farm can be. I saw a calf be born which was pretty amazing but was saddened to see it taken away from its mother only a few days after birth. I was also saddened by the moaning of the mothers for their calves after they had been taken away. When I decided that I didn’t want to work on the dairy farm I made a promise to myself that I would spend much of my life to help change the lives of farm animals.

I have also volunteered at the SPCA walking dogs, which was fun. However, I felt that I would rather be helping farm animals since they have so much less support. I also grew up in the country so I had pet chickens, a dog, cats, a bunny and at one time even goats. I always loved to be around animals and care for them. There was this one particularly funny time I remember with the goats. I came home one day to find they had escaped some how out of there pen and had climbed onto the top of the second car in the drive way. That was how I first found out just how mischievous goats really are!!



What is one dish you cannot live without?
Hmmmm, there are so many. If I had to pick a favorite though, I would have to say avocado and Vegenaise sandwiches. I definitely don’t think that I could live without those two ingredients!! Add a bit of salt, basil and tomato and anybody would wonder why everyone thinks it’s so hard to be vegan. Besides that though, I really enjoy a good Daiya cheese pizza as well!

What are your favorite brands of vegan alternatives?
Lets see, I love Earth Balance, Vegenaise (as mentioned above), Daiya cheese (for pizza and macaroni & cheese), Silk soy products (I have there creamer in my coffee daily), Tofutti, Tofurky, Turtle Mountain (so delicious!) and sooooo many more.

What are three things that people can do to help stop animal cruelty today?
1. GO VEGAN, that is number 1 for sure!!!!
2. Don’t wear products that have come from animals such as leather, wool and silk.
3. Do not by toiletries and cosmetics that have been tested on animals.



What inspires you to be positive about the world changing and becoming a better place to live in?
So much inspires me!!! In fact, working at Farm Sanctuary now inspires me the most because I see animals enjoying their lives every day. It fuels me to change the lives of the 10 billion animals slaughtered every year that can never enjoy the simple pleasures of being alive, like sunshine and green grass. Spending time with animals has always been a main motivational factor because I just think of the animals that never get attention and care, and it makes me want to do something about it. I will always be proactive in ending their exploitation…forever. I care about it more then anything in the whole world.

What other interests or talents do you have?
I love to dance, play guitar, read, draw, sew, go running, explore various woods, play Frisbee and dye my hair...

So as you can see Renee has a lot to say! Stay tuned for more Q&A in the future. If anyone has further questions or concerns for Renee you can send them to me via email and I will make sure she gets them asap! I will also feature them in a future blog so everyone can benefit from the information.