Gathering items from the land to create a sustainable living

on


 Sometimes it so much easier to walk into Walmart or a hardware store to get what you need right?  I barely go to Walmart, I just dont like the crowd, and standing in a long line and spending tons of money.  Everything in Kauai, is very expensive, Prices are just rising.  My go to places to go is hiking up in the mountains or going to the beach.  That's my comfort zone.  


I'm always with my boyfriend, so when we go exploring, were always finding things that could be useful to use in our everyday living.  For rope, my boyfriend likes getting into Hau.  Hau is a very useful plant.  The bark are used for rope making.  


This Hau has already been shredded off the bark



This is a Hau rope. It's already been twined.  This Hau is one of the strongest natural fibers.  Alot of uses could be done with this natural item from land.  Could be used in jewelry making also.  




This is a natural garden tool made from Guava wood and Koa wood.  Tied with Hau rope.  My boyfriend uses this tool everyday in the garden.  Perfect for digging up dirt.








This is a homemade tripod, used for hanging our bananas from our garden. This tripod is made with Guava wood.  Guava wood is medium to hard wood.   Also put together using Hau.  Hau creative is this?



    I've been wanting to replace my broken curtain rods.  I usually get the basic adjustable curtain rods. Their the cheapest, maybe that's why they break so much more easy.  I have been replacing them with new ones a few times, till I said no more.  I don't want to keep on spending money on things that breaks so easy.  They do have thicker curtain rods available, but too expensive.  And it just doesn't fit my home style.  I don't need anything fancy.  My house is like an old plantation home with brown walls.  A fancy curtain rod will not match my home.  I like more simple...


This is what my broken curtain rod looks like.


All bent!



My boyfriend always has these cool ideas!  He's always stopping me from spending so much money on things we don't need. He's always improvising.  He mentioned bamboo curtain rods.  So I was like, ok, how are you going to hang that bamboo.  he just said, just watch, you'll see.  




This is our bamboo curtain rod.  Looks great, and it matches our brown wall!  I love the natural look of this!!!



We needed to get more bamboo, to replace more of our broken curtain rod.  





Here is a sneak peak of our bamboo hiking adventure.  






Hand cutting bamboo 





Gigantic bamboo forest!






Sometimes you have to go barefoot to feel earths beautiful elements!






This is the beautiful process of gathering items from the land.  It so much more rewarding! And FREE! 
Mahalo to the Aina! 






Beautiful bamboo harvest.  Now we take home and have to cure for a few weeks. Then will be able to use as curtain rods.  




More usage of bamboo. This bamboo has also been harvested.  Used to hang this fish net.  This fishnet has also been hand weaved.  





Also made a bamboo water fountain for our fish pond




Island treasures for jewelry making 


These are seashells and beach glass that I find while on the beach. I have been collecting seashells for over 12 years now.  I spend most of my time at the beach.  I'll usually make jewelry with items I find on the beach.  I've been collecting so much shells, that its been a favorite hobby of mine.  I just love getting creative.  




A day at the beach.  Already found a few shells! 





Opihi stud earrings 
You can find these on my online shop 


These are jobs tears.  I use jobs tears to make earrings and bracelet



Jobs tears bracelet made with cone seashells 






A few of my creations using jobs tears and seashells.  Creations from land to sea. "Mauka to Makai".
Sustainable jewelry.  I sell my jewelry on 






Making jewelry has been a side hustle for me.  It doesn't provide me much income because I sell it at an affordable price.  But I just love making them.  It always makes me feel good when I do get a sale.  It inspires and motivates me more to keep on creating.  Someday, I'd like to grow my online shop.  I'd like to provide my customers with high quality materials.  Alot of people are allergic to stainless steel, so I've been getting sterling silver.  They are so costly. Especially shipping to Hawaii. If you know where I could find affordable sterling silver jewelry making materials other that Firemountain gems, please let me know.





Make a garden, Plant food

Making a garden, is not so easy.  We don't ever buy soil. Our dirt we use for planting is from the ground.  Just a little hard work! Just having to dig up some weeds, and grass will get your body sweating.  Alot of backaches, but in the end its all worth it.
You know where your food comes from, that's the best thing about growing and cooking your own food. 
Here's a little tour of our garden. 


These are radish, almost ready to be harvested.



Basil.  I use this alot with pasta and making homemade pesto.



Kalo root.  This is taro root, texture is similar to potatoes but firmer.  






This is what it looks like when its been boiled for a few hours. Getting ready to make poi.  A lot of poi making companies make poi with a machine.  I like it when its freshly handpounded.  You get more of the chewiness and texture, where the machine ones are too smooth. 





This is a sweet potato flower.  Not sure if the flowers are edible.   But the shoots are.  I use them in soups. Very good!





I cant wait for this sour sop to be ready to be harvested and eaten.  They are so delicious and so good for your health.  




These are the Kalo plant.  I love eating the leaves! Leaves has to be cooked for about 6 hours or they'll get your throat itchy, and you don't want that. 
 I can eat these everyday.  Im always asking my boyfriend, is there any leaves ready that can be harvested?  My favorites are chicken or pork lau lau, and beef kalo stew with coconut milk.  





Hawaiian chili peppers.  



Eggplant 



Roselle buds used for making tea

Roselle flowers 
So pretty!



Made roselle tea!!! 




Catch your own food

I'm always, always, wanting fresh fish.  And fresh fish is so expensive!!!



These were caught by diving 




Fresh Catch! Red Kumu.  This fish is best when steamed.  I  steam it with ginger and green onions.  So delicious.  Its feels so good when you catch something and get to eat it.  It makes it so much more enjoyable when you get to share your food with friends and family.






I hope you all enjoyed the blog for today.  I'm all about living the simple life.  When Im not all glammed up, I like to get dirty!!! and sweaty!!! You just got to go out into earths elements and enjoy the beautiful surroundings that nature provides.  Learn about plants around you.  I've learned about so much weeds that just grows right in your yard and is edible and good for you.  Alot of weeds provides alot of health benefits.  I'll go through some weed plants around my home in my next blog and explain what I use them for and the benefits it provides.  I'm not no certified health nutritionist, but I do take the time to learn. Learn how to make use of your surroundings.  I live in Hawaii, where everything is expensive.  Being self employed is not easy.  It really is a struggle.  Just having to provide for your family and pay bills.,. Bills are never ending, but I just got to have the best positive attitude, and greater things will come.  


I have a donate button on the bottom.  I would really like to help others.  My main goal and mission of success is to help others, especially those that are suffering, you are not the only one. 
By showing your support will encourage me to keep blogging, will motivate me to keep creating, and keep beautifying. I love teaching others that wants to learn.  For those already living a sustainable lifestyle, you know its not so easy, but you love doing what you do!!!

Please support the cause of living sustainable 

     

Follow me on Instagram @beautifulhi.jn

























 




Comments

Post a Comment