Earthy Links

I know, I was supposed to post a crafty entry today, but I was out ALL day and there was no crafting :( We had a good day though, in spite of not crafting! Though, I did see a great recycled craft done by a friend's husband and their daughter, but I had no camera to take a picture of their creation. It was like a recycled snow globe/lava type thingy...Yeah, yeah, a lovely description...LOL! I believe my friend said it was made with a glass bottle (pop, beer, milk, juice bottle, whatever you have on hand), light corn syrup, a tiny bit of water and some beads and sparkles. It was really nice and a great craft for a parent and a little one. I will have to get a detailed instruction and post it another time.

I figured this would be a good time to share some links on Earth friendly crafts, activities, ideas and some info. If you are looking for some ideas, check these links out!

Magazine Paper Beads
Toothbrush Bracelets
5 Easter egg projects using recycled materials
Make your own paper

Earth Day Canada
Plastic Free Life
Hip Mountain Mama Blog (great products and info)

Here are few ideas of what you can do to celebrate and appreciate the Earth:

Park the car and walk or bike
Turn off the TV and get outside, get active
Clean up your neighbourhood or someone else's
Plant a tree
Start a vegetable and/or fruit garden
Make some crafty items with materials from your recycling bin
Go meat free
Build a bin
Attend an Earth Day event if available in your area

The Earth needs to be cared for, appreciated, celebrated and love every day, not just this one!! Take some or all of the ideas and info and apply it to every day life, not just for one single day.

On the Hunt

Well, there will be no recycled craft for today. We were out most of the day, running errands and such. I was also on a hunt for a bike. A bike for Macho Man! We have a few great ideas on how we will spend Earth Day, doing lovely things to respect and appreciate the Earth and a big part of it includes biking. The only problem is that we are having a heck of a time locating a bike that will be suitable for Macho Man. He is a rather large guy and needs a good sized, sturdy bike. Of course, we don't buy new (unless absolutely necessary) and finding a good bike for him second hand is proving a bit tricky. I will use what time I have tomorrow to continue my search and maybe will get lucky or a friend will have one to lend. Wish us luck :)

I will have another crafty item to share tomorrow and Friday, I will post info and pictures of how we spent Earth Day! How are you all showing your love for the Earth? Anything special planned?

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Re-purpose: Retro Sheets

This is currently a WIP! I am actually taking a quick break from sewing, to type out this post...LOL!

In a previous post, I showed you a picture of a pair of retro sheets that I purchased at send hand stores. Well, they are now becoming a re-purposed/upcycled skirt for Miss Z. It is turning out very well and it is a super simple style of skirt. No pattern, I am simply winging it (yeah, it's just how I roll).

Anywho, I must get back at it, so that I may finish it up before bed time. Pictures to be posted before I end my evening :)

Okay, all finished and I LOVE this little skirt!! The two sheets together look fantastic.

First, here is a refresher of the sheets I posted previously:So cute and retro :)

Now, here is the simple but super sweet skirt:I love these fabrics (sheets) so much, that I am planning to make a little apron to to go with this skirt.

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Re-purpose: Egg Cartons

Ah yes, egg cartons and their many uses! There are so many great ideas of what you can do with egg cartons. Here is what we did with them today.

Caterpillars:This one was a lot of fun because it involved cutting, painting, pipe cleaners

Spring Flowers:Miss Z says that these flowers smell SOOOOOO good! Tee hee...So sweet!

Color Sorting and Counting:
This idea was something I came up with when Miss Z was about 2. She used to love sorting the colors and counting the pieces. She still takes it out sometimes and plays with it on her own. This is actually a double re-purposing, as the circle pieces are made from a cereal box!

We have one more thing to do with the egg cartons, and that is to start a few plants in them. From what I gather, you can transplant them in to your garden, still in the individual cups...Cool :)

Some Rescue Animals, I Rescue Pants

Yes, you read that right! I rescued a pair of pants today, from an unnecessary trip to a landfill. A lady in my building offered a pair of pants to Macho Man and unfortunately, they were not a fit for him so I told her she should donate them and someone else would make use of them (they were practically brand new). It seemed as though donating would be too big of a chore because she looked at me a bit odd and said that they would simply be put in the trash...GASP! How could I let those perfectly good jeans end up in the garbage, when someone could get good use of them? Why would I let them go to the landfill to lay for who knows how long? Just crazy talk I tells ya...LOL :) I put my hand out said that we would gladly take them and find someone who would fit in to them or donate them if not.

I know that maybe donating items can be a chore, as the items sometimes sit for a long time before you can make it to the drop off, but it really isn't that big of a chore. I am a serious procrastinator and I know very well how long things can sit, waiting to be donated and how much space things can take up. It may seem like a lot of hassle, but it is really worth it! Someone will get use of the items you no longer need and you can save things from ending up in our landfills. Sometimes, you don't even have to make it to a drop off, there are places that will come and pick up your unwanted items for free...FREE! It doesn't get easier than that. I mean, if you are going to bag it all up and toss it to the curb on garbage day, then why not bag it up and have someone come pick it up to make use of these items that still have a lot of life left in them?

Come on guys, let's help the Earth out by passing on good clothing and other gently used items and not throw them in the trash. You won't just be helping the planet, but maybe someone else who really needs it ;)

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Re-purpose: Toilet Paper Rolls

Time to stop procrastinating and get things kicked off! Here they are, the toilet paper roll bunnies!
These were so much fun to make and Miss Z had a blast with this craft. We are planning to make them again.These are super simple to do and can be winged, but I will be posting a tutorial Wednesday evening. Stay tuned...