Linky Doos; Etsy Love

Homemade, eco-friendly, beautiful, crunchy, artistic, useful...I WANT!! Maybe you will WANT too...Or be inspired :)

Crunchy Couture - Tie dyes goodness!
Rhythm Threads - Gorgeous earth friendly apparel!
Aura Gaia - Beautiful and inspiring!
Lilah Bloom Creations - Handmade, eco-friendly wares!
Barefoot Stitches - More fantastic designs!
A Green Banana - I just found this one tonight!
Harm None Kynd Creations - Another new to me Etsy...Oooohhhs and Aaaaaas all around!
Green Mountain Threads - Some tasty looking soaps...and threads!
Threads of the Earth - Fantasmo!!

Linky Doos

Today, I would like to share some interesting, fun, crafty and green blogs and sites!

Carbon Footprint Quiz - How many Earths would it take to keep up if everyone lived your lifestyle?

The Vegetarian Who Hates Tofu - shares with you some fantastic recipes and life as a vegetarian. Why not try a meal or two a week that doesn't contain meat? It is good for you and the planet!

Hip Mountain Mama - Filled with a lot of fantastic eco-friendly, fair trade, handmade, natural products, apparel and tips! I am sure I have linked this one before, but it is worth posting again.

Vegan Dad - He's a Dad and a vegan...LOL! He shares some REALLY tasty recipes!!! I just took a look and now I am hungry.

Crafting a Green World - I just found this one today and haven't had a chance to do more than browse a short time, but I saw quite a few great re-purposing crafty how to's.

Chasing Cheerios - some really great schooly activities being shared here, for the little ones.

One Pretty Thing - A great site, bringing tons of crafty tutorials to one convenient place :)

Hope you find something good!

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Re-purpose: Great Link

I found that a blog I follow is also going with a recycled theme, in honour of Earth Day and they have posted a great tutorial that I have to share! Cereal Box Crafts: Notepads. Oh my, I am such a sucker for notepads and when you are trying to be friendlier to the Earth, notepads are a total waist (unless made of recycled material and you pay the price) but now, I can make some great recycled ones of my own. I am planning to make a few of these for Miss Z and myself. I think I will make some paper from old flyers and scraps, to make it even more Earth friendly...I have always wanted to try making my own paper ;)

I hope you guys find this as interesting and useful as I do and make one or a ton for yourself!

Green Read

I am always on the prowl for some good ole green reading, and today I found a few interesting sites. There was a post by Adventures of a Thrifty Mama in a Trailer Park on FB about a contest she is in, on a site called Circle of Moms and the link was loaded with eco-friendly Mom blogs. This is a contest to find the Top 25 Eco-friendly Moms and can generate a lot of new readers to the winner and to all the other blogs really.

I have taken a peek at a few of the blogs and have like what I see. A lot of interesting things to read. I am now off to take a deeper look and get my read on...LOL!

Be sure to check things out and possibly vote. Hope you find some good reading like I did :)

Oh, and if anyone has a good eco-friendly/green/crunchy/homemade/gardening/natural...(you get it, LOL) blog, I would love it if you would share a link, so I may take a read!

Recycle Crafting

I was trying to think of different crafty things that I could do with Miss Z in the theme of Spring/Easter and came up with a really good idea! I noticed that we have quite a few cardboard toilet paper rolls in the recycling box and I am always looking for inexpensive craft supplies, so what better place to find them? I am planning to let Miss Z paint them, add faces and bunny ears to the rolls...Easter bunny toilet paper rolls...Woo hoo!!! Nothing like some good ole crafty recycling :) I hope she likes the idea and it all goes well. I will be sure to post pictures of what she creates.

Anywho, this made me think of what other recycling ideas there may be for these cardboard rolls. I found a few links that I thought would be fun to share, and maybe some of you may be interested to try ;)


Toilet Paper Roll Wreath

TV Pixilator Light Show This is funny, but looks like fun to try out.

A mixture of Ideas!

Wardrobe Planning

I am still in the planning and hunting for tutorial phase, in making a summer wardrobe for Miss Z. It takes a bit to find just want I want, but once I get looking, it is really hard to stop!

I thought I would do a little round-up of all the tutorials I have bookmarked, in case any of you would like to try them as well. So many sweet things to be made!

Cheaters Guide to a Fancy Dress!
I cannot wait to try this one. I think this may have to be Miss Z's Easter dress this year.

Baby Swing Coat Re-fashion
I am not 100% sure that this will make the final list of things to make, but it was too cute not to share :)

The Shirt Jumper

Party Dress
I made this one for Miss Z already, for Christmas, but it is really worth sharing now. I think I may have to make another one!

Neck Tie Dress Tutorial
What a fantastic idea!! Great way to use old ties...or just buy some secondhand ones.

Vintage Smock Pattern
This one is a PDF. I think it will make a great addition to this years Summer clothing.

Cute Apron Knot Dress
Awwwwwwwwwwwww!!

Stripwork Apron Top
Another good tutorial from Vegbee!

Deoderant Review

WoWZERS!!! This is amazing and I LOVE it...Yes, I LOVE this homemade deodorant!!

Not only was making it fun and simple, it works so well. My armpits feel dry and there is no stink, even after sweating it up today! I think there may be one more test to be done, and that is to work out for an hour at the gym and see how it holds up. I have to say though, I have complete faith that this will do just fine. It is so great to know that I am now using natural deodorant, with nothing scary in it and I made it myself! Woo hoo :P Who knew deodorant could be so exciting...LOL!

For those of you who are thinking of trying this, I urge to do so NOW!!!!!! It is well worth it. This stuff is far healthier than store bought, chemical filled junk. Even if you weren't planning to try it and you just happened to see this post, you really should give it a shot;)

This stuff is so good, I think it deserves yet another link:
"Coconut Oil Killed My Stink" homemade deodorant recipe.

Woo hoo for Homeade Deodorant

There is something very liberating and satisfying about making your own care products. Knowing that you aren't lining the pockets of big company (that doesn't care about it's customers) and that you aren't coating your body with toxins! I really like knowing what the ingredients are and the fact that I can pronounce them.

So, I made myself some lovely deodorant today and I really like how easy it was to make. It took no time at all. I decided to go with the "Coconut Oil Killed My Stink" recipe. Such a funny title :) This was a very easy to follow tutorial and though I used this recipe, I opted to not add any essential oils, this time around. I wanted something plain and basic, to start off. I will admit, it was really hard to convince myself to not drink the melted coconut oil...LOL. It just smells soooooooo good! The tin that I recycled, is a perfect fit!


Anywho, I didn't get any pictures of the process, even though I said I would. I just forgot to get a battery charger, and I was too impatient to wait. I will take a picture or two the next batch. I know there is no need for at least a few months, to make any more but I think having more than one scent to choose from everyday would be nice. I think I will add the tea tree oil and something else, the next time around. Now, if I can just get Macho Man to embrace the homemade godness of this deoderant!

Homemade Summer Wardrobe 2.0

Well, I am planning to take yet another stab at a homemade Summer wardrobe, for the little Miss Z! I am also going to make as much homemade for myself, as I can. I am really hoping my Mom will give me a hand, to learn certain techniques and to be sure things actually come together right and not my usual wonky...LOL!

I make things without patterns and that can get tricky sometimes, taking more work than it should but, I just can't be put in to a box and expected to follow someone else's rules :) I am hoping to follow a few patterns/tutorials, this time around. Though, I do work much better with my own ideas and plans, or just by eye. We'll see what I come up with!

Here are a few links, to the items I would love to try out:

Tiered Skirt Tutorial
The Sunshine Dress Tutorial

Re-purposing: Shirt to Dress with Boat Neck/Pockets
Twirly Skirt

Check Out My Buns!!

Burger buns, that is ;)

In my plight to stop buying foods from the store (with mass amounts of added garbage and ingredients I can not pronounce, in them) that I can make myself, I decided to finally try making burger buns! I wanted to make Chili Bean Burgers (I omit the ketchup and add garlic, Worcestershire sauce and what ever other spice I enjoy) for supper and that called for buns...Of course! So, I searched online and found this recipe and decided to give it a shot. There turned out SOOOOOOO well!! I am having a really hard time, not eating every last one of them...LOL!

Oh, and they are a bit on the heavy side, but still VERY delicious!

I'm Participating...

...in the read-a-long @ Helping Little Hands

There is something really fun going on, over at Helping Little Hands!! You should all get over there now, and join in :) I know I am!!

Slouch Obsessed!

I am out of control! I want to try every single version of a slouch hat, that I find. I was thinking I should share some of the patterns that I have found, with you all :) I mean, who doesn't love a good slouch hat?!?!

Here are the linky poos:

Eyelet Slouch Hat

Meret : This one is a PDF.

Runched Slouch Beanie

Slouch Hat Knitting Pattern

Knit Slouch Hat Pattern: This pattern is the first one I will be trying out. In fact, it is already on the needles, I just haven't had a chance to work at it.


Rudolph Hat : Not a slouch hat, but super cute!!

I have yet to try these patterns, but I plan to, in hopes of finding a slouch hat that is to my liking. If any of you try one or some of these patterns, be sure to let me know how it/they turn out. I will post pictures of the ones that I try out...even if they fail :)

Halloween Crafty Links!

We are currently decorating our home for Halloween and thought it would be nice to share some tutorials of the crafts we are trying this year. All the links are crafts that can be done with the little ones.

Hand Print Monster Banner
We are working on this one tonight.

Egg Carton Pumpkins

Hand Print Spiders

Ghost Leaves

Tissue Paper Pumpkins

Snow Pumpkin

Hope you find these useful and get to try out one or two. I will be sure to post some of our results with these :)

Crafty Links for Fall

I was going through my HUGE list of craft links when I decided it was high time I share the interesting and fun tutorials I have come across.

I figured, since Fall is upon us and I have decided to try a few decorations out, I would share some Fall decoration tutorials. Woo hoo...FUN!!

Here they are:

Fall Leaves and Mod Podge Magic!
I plan to make this one for decorating around the house, as well as scrap booking :)

Coloring Pages from Crayola
This is a great idea for the little ones to get in to the Fall fun! Make a little printed coloring book. There are many seasons and occasions to be found here. There also games, puzzles and more!

Maple Leaf Coasters
These little tidbits looks so sweet and simple to make.

Acorn Garland
Oooohhh, so purdy!!

Life Saver Pumpkin Lollipop
A sweet, simple, tasty treat. I know, not really a craft but worth posting :)

A Reversible Quilt Coat for a Dog
Why not decorate the dog too? This one is special for you Lottie!

Hanging Leaves
So many ways to preserve leaves! I think these look very nice hanging in front of a window, just like in the picture.

Recycled Glowing Pumpkins
You know, it isn't fall without something pumpkin related. I do love a good recycled craft!

Well, I guess that's it for now. I'll be posting more links eventually ;) If anyone tries these craft items out, I would love to see the results...Happy crafting!