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Make chalkboard art from an old candy box Make a chalkboard back splash Create a chalkboard hall tree from an old door Make a colorful chalkboard dresser DIY decor: a fun chalkboard door with a shelf Create a chalkboard coffee table Easy tip to reduce food waste: a kitchen chalkboard Upcycle a metal tin into a chalkboard planter Make a DIY chalkboard wreath Upcycle an old globe into a chalkboard globe How to make a chalkboard window DIY chalkboard kitchen cabinets Chalkboard filing cabinet Upcycle a piece of art into a chalkboard Paint your fridge with chalkboard paint DIY chalkboard paint lampshade Make a chalkboard picture frame Chalkboard wine bottles DIY chalkboard plate chargers Turn a boring table into a chalkboard table Make a chalkboard from a vintage silver tray Chalkboard clipboards Revamp a boring light fixture with chalkboard paint Chair back chalkboard Create a chalkboard headboard Make a giant chalkboard calendar wall DIY chalkboard stairs Paint a sideboard with chalkboard paint Repurpose a crib into a chalkboard table for kids DIY chalkboard stripe dresser DIY chalkboard silhouette Thrifted chalkboard placemats Chalkboard secretary desk Recycled chalkboard vases Chalkboard mason jar seed starter pots Chalkboard suitcase sign DIY chalkboard table runner Decorate your front porch or patio with a chalkboard easel DIY chalkboard planters Make a chalkboard cake stand Upcycled chalkboard fan Create chalkboard chairs Make a chalkboard from a mirror Revamp TV trays with chalkboard paint Kids chalkboard lamps Upcycled chalkboard tea tins Turn an old cabinet door into a chalkboard Turn salvaged crib parts into an unique chalkboard Chalkboard kitchen counter tops Queen Anne vanity becomes chalkboard desk Which chalkboard paint project do you want to try first?...

What’s in your kids’ paint? Does it contain petroleum derivatives? Fungicides? Bactericides? Artificial ingredients of unknown origin? Do you even know? I don’t! My kiddos do a LOT of painting, with all different kinds of paints. They’ve done tempera and acrylics, oils and watercolors–heck, they even spray paint!–but I can say for a fact that they have never before used completely natural, completely toxin-free, completely artificial chemical-free paint (other than mud, of course) until they painted with Earth Paint....

Sewing for little kids is easy, and that’s fortunate, because that’s the time when a lot of people first get interested in sewing. Projects go quickly when they’re made for tiny people, and kids are built like such straight little noodles that patterns are simple. The fit on little kids is also forgiving, so even newbie sewers have a satisfying experience. Sewing for big kids, however? It’s a whole new pastime, and it isn’t necessarily for the beginner, nor the faint of heart....

How could you not love something that’s both a craft supply AND a superfood? Chia seeds are amazing! Not only are chia seeds great for you, and easy to incorporate into tons of healthy, delicious recipes, but their ability to sprout and grow in the blink of an eye, in less than ideal circumstances, makes them a lot of fun for you and the kids to play with, too. To get you started, first check out this recipe for coconut chia pudding from Andrea over at our sister site, Vibrant Wellness Journal....

What You Will Need: Canning jar lids. Sometimes you can find them at thrift stores or garage sales! An embroidery hoop Twine. If you can, use hemp twine — it’s more eco-friendly! Scissors Low VOC spray paint A hammer and nail How To Do It: Clean your canning jar lids. Punch a hole in each of the lids with a hammer and nail. You can also use a drill if you’d like....

Seriously, you guys have incredible eco-friendly craft ideas every month! Here are my 5 favorite projects from November’s Green Crafts Showcase: 1. How To Make a Cute Belt from an Old Necktie by Bespangled Jewelry Do you remember the Necktie iPod pouch from the October Green Crafts Showcase? Well, this is what Bespangled Jewelry did with the rest of the same tie! This would be a perfect addition to your wardrobe or as a Christmas gift!...

Cut Waste Paper accounts for 40% of all municipal waste Recycled paper means less trash, lower taxes & other disposal costs Save Energy 60-70% energy savings over virgin pulp The paper industry is the 3rd largest user of energy in the U.S. Protect Natural resources The U.S. uses 100 million tons of paper a year & use is increasing Recycled paper uses 55% less water & helps preserve our forests Recycling of waste paper creates more jobs Reduce Pollution The paper industry is one of the largest water polluters in the world Recycled paper reduces water pollution by 35%, reduces air pollution by 74%, and eliminates many toxic pollutants

Transform your vintage camera into an awesome piece of art for your bookshelf or table! After yesterday’s inspiring post, 10 Incredible Ways to Upcycle a Vintage Camera, I started thinking about how I could transform my own vintage camera. My camera was not working and had rust all over, but it was in my family, so I didn’t want to get rid of it. I decided it was time to give it a makeover!...

Old sports gear is the worst! Whether it’s an unstrung tennis racket, a dented aluminum bat, or a tennis ball that’s all bounced out, nothing makes you feel like more of a waster than throwing one more piece of junk into the trash. Unless… What if that tennis racket could be upcycled into a butterfly net? That dented aluminum bat could be made into a curtain rod? That bounced-out tennis ball could be turned into your new key keeper?...

My friend, Nicole, from Freshly Blended Press, is amazing with recycling wallpaper. She uses all those old wallpaper swatchbooks for material that would otherwise be thrown away . All of the wallpaper is used exquisitely for the covers of her wallpaper journals. So, next time you come across wallpaper scraps think twice before tossing them out. Nicole also donates part of her profits to The Humane Society.

Whether you run a crafty business or just nabbed a swag bag at a craft market, chances are you’ve got some business cards handy that have outlived their usefulness. Instead of tossing them in the recycle bin, try some of these projects to upcycle business cards! Business cards are a fact of life if you’re trying to promote your business. You need a way to quickly give your information to potential clients and customers!...

I happened upon Bijou Basin Ranch at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival and couldn’t believe my eyes. Here was yarn made from yak fiber! Yak fiber is combed from the yak once spring rolls around and they start to shed their warm winter coats. The fiber is downy and super soft and a yak can produce between 1 and 2 pounds of down per year. The fiber is then cleaned, washed and carded so it is ready for the spinning wheel....

In my knitting, I go back and forth between simple, smooth knits that I’ll work into intricate cables and patterns, then back to bumpy knits that get worked into simple, smooth stockinette stitch. That’s why I love this great raw yarn from Hubu. We’ve talked about the awesome properties of hemp in both yarn and fabric form before but never as a raw material that can be knit with. The hemp bark yarn is just that, the bark of the hemp plant....

This new series of posts, entitled the “Yearn-worthy Yarns” collection, is for all the knitters and crochet-ers out there (myself included). I took up the hobby for the first time two years ago and my crafty resolution for 2008 is to finally move past scarves and knit my first sweater. Of course all of the yarns we’ll be featuring are organic, all-natural, fair trade or a combination of the three....

With that covered, I bid you welcome to the second week of Yearn-Worthy Yarns and boy howdy do I have a treat for you today. We won’t be talking about just one brand of eco-yarn, but a whole store! After recently finishing Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver as part of the Re-Nest Book Club (which is still going on, so join in if you’d like), I’m even more adamant about focusing on buying local goods and shopping at small businesses because of the direct impact it has on peoples’ lives....

Imported directly from Nepal, the recycled silk yarns are made from recycled saris. “Silk thrums from India’s weaving mills are hand-spun by women’s cooperatives and cottage industries into gleaming silk skeins. Using their traditional skills they are able to create vibrant, textured yarn in an endless array of colorways. Each Recycled Silk skein is hand-spun, creating natural inconsistencies and a rather scrappy nature; to make any project, no matter how simple in design, instantly charming and unique,” according to Stephanie....

Bring the outside in for Valentine’s Day this year, with any one of these nature crafts! 1. birch bark heart garland. Birch bark is one of my favorite natural crafting supplies. 2. birdseed hearts. Why not make your valentine a gift for the birds, as well? 3. conversation clementines. Here’s the perfect treat to bring to a kid’s class party. 4. heart ornaments. Salt dough, cornstarch dough, or cinnamon dough would all work well with this project....

I’m usually all for healthy outdoor living, but this is very much the time of year when I prefer to stay far away from the freezing drizzle, and instead light a candle, tuck up under a blanket, and do something cozy inside. Kids, though? Kids get squirrely when they’re cooped up inside too much, but they also have that ridiculous tendency to get hypothermia if you let them play in the freezing drizzle too long....

Stamped spoon door handles Upcycle a colander into a light fixture Make a kitchen chalkboard to reduce waste Book page and utensil art Turn a rake into a wine glass holder Spray paint vintage kitchen gear for easy wall art Vintage rolling pin hook rack Simple mason jar kitchen organizer DIY cake stand kitchen organizer (perfect for holding your handmade soap) Create recycling inspiration for your kitchen DIY sugar, cream, and coffee canisters DIY wall art with painted spoons Upcycled 3-tiered kitchen stand Use utensils as hooks Create fridge frames from cardboard boxes DIY handles for your kitchen cabinets Beer bottle soap dispenser Make fabric covered tins 19....

So, have you whipped up a few different spools of DIY washi tape yet? If not, head over to the washi tape tutorial to see how. Don’t worry. We’ll wait. OK, all set? Great! Now you’ve got lots of fun paper tape that’s 100% unique and more eco-friendly than the store-bought variety. Yay! You know that washi tape adds pizzazz to wrapped gifts, but that’s not the only way to use paper tape in your crafty adventures....