As much as I love to bring you pretty things, today I have something weightier to share. Grab a cup of coffee or something, pull up a chair, and when it’s done, please let me know what you think. My thoughts on this topic are definitely a work in progress, and I welcome your thoughts. (Thanks to Yoel Knits for inspiration for the first section’s title, by the way.)...

Mixed media artist Deane Bowers* makes vibrant, cheerful upcycled folk art pieces from found objects. Deane scours streets and beaches for litter and natural materials, which she transforms into brightly-colored art. No ancient piece of rusted metal is safe from her creative eye! She collects all of her found objects, and brings them back to her studio in Charleston, South Carolina. There, she cuts, glues, bends, and paints her finds to create whimsical wall art....

You will need: several old pairs of blue jeans (the exact number depends on the size of quilt you’ll be sewing); cardboard for a cutting template, a marking pen, a sewing machine with a jeans needle inserted, matching thread. To follow along in later posts with backing and tying your quilt, have handy a thrifted yet terrific blanket and embroidery floss or yarn in coordinating colors. We’ll sew the quilt top today, and back it and tie it in a later post....

Organizing your crafty space can make crafting so much easier, can’t it? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to delay a project because I couldn’t find that vintage button that I knew was somewhere or the pretty wrapping paper I’d salvaged over the holidays and stashed – well, someplace! Where is it again? No matter what your craft, chances are your space could use a little more organizational oomph, but organizers from the big box store come with a big impact....

CD case coasters CD case green house Make a light cube DIY recycled CD cases into wall art Grow grass in a CD case Store your sewing supplies in CD cases (you could store green scrapbook embellishments in them too) DIY drawer dividers CD jewel case birdhouse Make your own stamp pad CD case garden markers DIY dry erase maze Repurposed CD case boxes CD case diorama CD case candle holder Bird feeder from a CD case CD case photo cube Make a gift holder DIY pencil holder Create garden art Jewel case CD planter Which CD case craft do you want to try?...

2. Mother’s Day Plant Flag If you decide to go with a plant rather than flowers, add something special like a plant flag. It’s so easy to customize your message or phrase with this project. It’s also a great way to add some sparkle to the average plant. Next» More DIY Ideas for Mother’s Day [Photo via I Heart Nap Time, used with permission]

Are you planning a DIY wedding? Here are 55 chalkboard ideas to get you inspired! Why do we love chalkboards for a DIY wedding so much? It’s simple: using chalkboards can eliminate paper waste, and you can erase and reuse them! While you might have a ton of chalkboards at your wedding, you can reuse every single one of them again. Repurpose them into home decor, party decorations, or give them as favors at the end of the day....

Maybe. As for me, I want a serger (You reading this, Matt?). But let’s say you’re getting a sewing machine for your holiday gift. Perhaps you’re new to sewing, or just need a little time to get up to speed on your awesome, new-to-you machine. Then pop on over to one of my favorite sewing hangouts, Burdastyle. You can browse the tutorials and forums of this open-source sewing enterprise at your leisure, but if you sign up (free!...

Popsicles are the “it” summer treat right now! And understandably so – it’s hot as heck outside, they’re easy to make, and (depending on your ingredients) they can be super-healthy. I was talking to my nephews recently and they were raving about all the fun they’ve been having at summer camp. When I asked them if they’d had Bug Juice yet, they looked at me like I had three eyeballs!...

Canadian duo Nathalie Butterfield and Terra Kushner launched their fabric line when they were frustrated with the limited selection of sustainable fabrics. Nathalie talks about how their company evolved: They launched their first fabric line in 2007, and things have grown from there! FLUF’s hemp and organic cotton blend fabric is hand-printed locally in Toronto with water-based, biodegradable ink. They only work with eco-friendly manufacturers. FLUF is also a member of 1% For the Planet, a network of businesses who have pledged to donate at least 1% of their net profits to organizations that help the environment....

I made these flowers as a thank you gift for my mother-in-law. I wanted to give her a pretty bouquet without buying conventional cut flowers. They come from so far away and are usually grown with all sorts of nasty pesticides. Rather than head to the flower shop, I decided to head to my scrap bin and make her a pretty fabric bouquet that would last longer than a live one and was more personal to boot!...

Call me crazy, but I’m already dreaming of fall! I’m ready for the cool weather, lots of gorgeous scarves, yummy pumpkin recipes, and most importantly, fall crafts! Yesterday’s post, How To: Upcycle a Baby Food Jar into a Decoupaged Pumpkin, made me reminisce about all of the awesome pumpkin projects we’ve created here at Crafting a Green World. Here are 4 eco-friendly pumpkin projects to inspire you and get you in the mood for fall–just click on the title of each project to see the full tutorial!...

Flowers are a traditional fall back gift for mom, but this year consider a handmade floral-inspired gift that will last a bit longer. Here are my top picks for eco-friendly Mother’s Day gifts. All of the gifts in this roundup are floral-inspired and made from natural and sustainable materials. All natural handmade soaps are beautiful and useful. Soaps here and at top by Alchemic Muse, a member of the Etsy Green and Clean Guild....

I just love a DIY urban beautification project! Whether we’re talking about Kintta’s yarn graffiti or using seedbombs to spread greenery to blighted spaces, I’m struck by how much a little color can impact the urban landscape. Moss graffiti art and moss carvings definitely fall under this umbrella. Moss Graffiti Art Unlike spray paint, moss graffiti art is all natural and healthy to work with. You can paint words or images, and the moss fills in like magic!...

Pictured here is the cover of Simply Green Giving: Create Beautiful Gift Wrapping, Tags and Handmade Treasures from Everyday Materials. The how-to manual on eco gift wrap includes: Shown below are a couple more of my favorite gift wrap ideas from Danny: A few highlights: Use an old cardboard globe as a gift basket * Use colorful wood cigar boxes as handsome gift boxes for homebaked treats * Recycle old books into a ring boxs Above image of pine gift packing by yours truly....

A Fair Trade craft fair will likely include the following components: craft makers and handmade artisans who utilize eco-conscious materials and practices, and, where relevant, Fair Trade and Equal Exchange principles. third-party or larger vendors selling only Fair Trade or Equal Exchange products. food vendors offering local and artisanal products or imported Fair Trade or Equal Exchange products. Or, you can make your own Fair Trade craft fair by visiting any traditional holiday craft fair and only buying items that fit within a worldwide eco-friendly and Fair Trade ethic....

If you’re into fashion. If you like cute clothes, but don’t want to spend a lot of money. If you’re a bargain-hunter. If you have kids who never seem to stop growing. These are the kinds of circumstances that can tempt even the most conscientious of us into a mass-market, big box, or discount clothing retailer. These are also the circumstances that companies rely on to get us into their stores, and part of why they like to focus on selling us their clothing as cheaply as possible....

There’s a lot of goofing and playing and lounging going on during our many bike breaks, of course, but we also are always in search of natural crafting supplies. Some natural crafting items you can find year round, of course, things like beautiful rocks, shells, fallen branches, or clay and sand. Other items, however, are only available to be gathered in their bounty in the fall, and when you do gather, you may want to have a year’s worth of nature crafting on your mind, not just autumn crafting....

No worries if you don’t know the first thing about making gifts – it is easier then ever to find cool, recycled, handmade gifts online. Online boutique Zanisa is a great place to find all sorts of recycled, organic and sustainable gifts like this necklace from designer Liana Kabel, made from recycled Tupperware! And of course, Etsy is the fantastic place to find original handmade gifts. Check out the daily Valentine’s Showcase for ideas....

Dress-up clothes can be hard to buy outside of Halloween, and when you do find some it can be hard to find any that aren’t cheap imports and hold up to a child’s normal play. Handmade costumes, however, such as these butterfly wings upcycled from wire hangers and an old stretchy cotton sweater, are guaranteed to fit your child perfectly, in both her body and her personality. They cost nothing to make, since the materials come from around the house, and one day your child will be thrilled to pass them down to her own child....