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With over 100 eco-friendly projects plus eco-living tips and ideas, this is a book that is going to be on many “greenies” wish lists. A few of the super creative and super cute crafts include the Owl Clothespin Holder crafted from a t-shirt, the Pebble Coasters, the CD Disco Ball, Miniature Doll Shoe Bracelet (if you have little girls they’ll probably love this one), the Matchbook Ornaments, the Altered Pins (super cute), and the Sweet Sweater Birds (I want to make these so bad)....

And with back to school upon us, we want to promote waste free lunch packaging by using reusable lunch bags. But as a recent article in the New York Times states, eco-friendly lunch packaging could be a challenge. So while we try to do the ‘right’ thing and even go further by making our own reusable lunch sacks and wraps, I wonder, are PEVA and PUL based fabrics safe for food?...

Even CAGW has fallen for Big Glitter! When my little kid longed for body glitter, I was concerned about what chemicals her skin might absorb from the carrier gel, not the impact that my glitter craft would have on the environment. So I made her DIY body glitter from aloe vera gel… and glitter. When I wanted to refurbish some old wooden clothespins to make them cute enough to hang photos in my living room, I dyed them with liquid watercolors… and embellished them with glitter....

“Food and Interior Stylist, Paul Lowe of Sweet Paul has been styling a series called The Written Word“. The paper sculpture vases and the picture holder in the pics above show some of Paul’s creative spark. If your in the mood to create functional upcycled art here is an adorable tutorial on how to make a book table, if you are looking for a stylish book recycling project. The darling folded fan books and ornaments featured by Apartment Therapy, are art exhibits inside of window displays....

Include something vintage! I made these DIY greeting cards not with rubber stamps of teddy bears or foam stickers of ducks in bonnets, but with vintage book pages. Pages trimmed from a ratty, torn copy of The Turn of the Screw and an old dictionary, embellished with paint, compose the front images of a set of all-purpose blank cards, suitable for either the kids or the adults in the family to use....

1. Recycled Shabby Chic Earrings by Wearwolf Can you believe these adorable earrings are made from a recycled aluminum beer bottle? Vicki from Wearwolf calls herself a “rabid recycler/artist/hoarder” and I can totally see why– if I knew how to make these amazing earrings, I would want to keep and reuse every aluminum can in sight! If your mom likes a shabby chic style, these would be perfect for her! For even more amazing items made from recycled materials, like their vintage tin can earrings, check out their entire shop....

It wasn’t until I was finishing the research to write this beginner’s embroidery book up that I realized that it’s actually supposed to be for children. Oops! And now that I’ve said that, I WON’T tell you which of the projects in the top photo are mine, nor will I show you any of the others that I created, lacing along happy as a clam with my kids one entire afternoon as we sat inside on a terribly nice day and did this instead....

If your puzzle is only missing a piece or two, it’s easy to DIY your own substitute puzzle piece. If your puzzle is missing several pieces, however, it’s no longer a puzzle. It’s a craft supply! Check out the following ideas for ways to re-use the pieces from incomplete jigsaw puzzles: puzzle piece tree craft from I Heart Crafty Things leafy puzzle piece tree: One of the best things about puzzle pieces is how versatile the shapes are....

It would probably also be too easy to indulge in a few too many store-bought, mass-produced, fast-fashion candle holders, too, but fortunately I like DIY candle holders SO much better, and I think you will, too! Check out my list of my favorite DIY candle holders, below. I think you’ll find your new perennial favorite there, but I also think you’ll find all the cute options you need to get your autumn and winter decorating in gear, too!...

I love my dog. She snoozes in my office all day while I work, we take walks together, and I love the wiggle dance she does whenever I get home from running around town. She’s my girl, and all I want to do is shower her with treats, toys, and love. The trouble with dog toys and treats is that they’re often not so great from an environmental standpoint. So many are made in China, which means questionable materials and labor practices along with a huge carbon footprint to ship them here to the U....

All I care about is we once again have a fully functionable bathroom and the toilet is no longer sitting in my living room. We managed to save all the light fixtures, the sink, the vanity, the medicine cabinet and the toilet. We added some new knobs, faucets, a toilet seat, and a fresh coat of paint to the vanity and everything looks brand new. This is what the bathroom looked like before the renovation....

Where I live, school starts on August 6th, which is a mere 3 weeks away! Have you started thinking about school supplies for your children yet? Instead of spending money at big box stores on products that are far from eco-friendly, consider making some of your own school supplies! Here are 5 projects to get you started: 1. DIY Backpacks Backpacks can be super expensive at big box stores, not to mention poorly made....

Turn a wooden spool into a drawer knob! A few weeks ago, I created an adorable pumpkin from a wooden spool. For whatever reason, the hole in the spool made me say to myself, “Self, you could turn this into a drawer knob!” I’m all about DIY home decor, so that’s exactly what I did! Instead of buying knobs from a big box store, I created my own one-of-a-kind knobs from wooden spools....

Well, we’ve been in our new house over a year now, and we’re almost unpacked (just six or so more boxes to go, Friends!), so it must be time to get some art on the walls! Real art. That isn’t stuck on with washi tape. Ahem. My favorite way to display art is in a thrifted frame (repainted, of course, preferably in slate grey) on top of a DIY photo mat....

I feel terrible about saying this out loud, but it’s been bothering me for a VERY long time, and I finally just have to admit it: Y’all? I kind of don’t think that seed bombs work. So, Seed Bomb 101 for those who aren’t as obsessed as I am: seed bombs are little balls of compost and clay (or sometimes papier mache) with seeds embedded. The theory goes that you toss them in a neglected green space as an act of guerilla gardening; the clay keeps the seeds moist as they germinate, the compost nourishes them, and they grow, implanting themselves into that green space, making it pretty, and providing valuable food for bees and birds....

Household waste skyrockets during the holidays, and gift wrap plays a big part in that jump. Handmade or upcycled gift wrap might seem like a bit pain, but it doesn’t have to be! These eco-friendly gift wrap ideas include ideas that are very easy and some that take a bit more time. Choose what’s right for your gifts and your schedule! Furoshiki Don’t let the name intimidate you! Furoshiki is a method for wrapping gifts in beautiful, reusable fabrics....

Check out Ecopaper. They have a delightfully delicious (not really delicious but when you hear what some of the paper is made from your tummy may grumble too) selection of sketchbooks, quality papers, notebooks and more, made from coffee, mango, lemon, banana, cigars, hemp and sugar. I’ve heard of paper being made from hemp and banana before but lemons, mangoes, and coffee? Wow. Tree free and very eco-friendly since EcoPaper works very hard to be an earth friendly company....

When Eden Fabrics proprietress Rebecca Nolan saw our post on the importance of Earth-friendly dyes, she emailed me about a line of fabrics she carries dyed with plant extracts! She was kind enough to send a few swatches my way along with information about caring for these fabrics and the different plants used in the dyeing process. These plant-dyed fabrics take a little bit of extra love. They recommend either hand washing or machine washing on a cold, gentle cycle....

PM Organics, like Near Sea Naturals, is an online shop crammed with “Textiles You Feel Good About.” PM Organics is currently closed as they move cross-country, but I thought I’d highlight them anyway since they are such a great source of eco-friendly fabrics and other supplies. You can sign up for their mailing list if you want an update when they get settled and re-open. Their knits section includes organic cottons and blends in jersey, rib, fleece, terry, thermal, and interlock....

Gift Ideas for Crafters Kits We Are Knitters – These kits include everything a knitter (or aspiring knitter) needs: yarn, pattern, and the right size needles to get the job done. Herban Crafts – These DIY beauty kits use all natural materials. The kits are handmade with love, so it’s kind of a DIY double-whammy. Chewing Gum – How cool is this? With this little kit, you can make your own chewing gum!...