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Tallow: fat from cows (Sodium Tallowate in the final product label) Emu Oil: fat from emus Lanolin: fat from wool/sheep skin Carmine/Crimson Lake: red dye made from cochineal beetles Goat’s Milk Cow’s Milk Yogurt Lactic Acid – I know that in food, you can find plant-based lactic acid, but unless it specifies it’s probably milk-derived. Silk Protein Collagen: proteins sourced from any animal fibrous tissue: flesh, ligaments, tendons Honey, Beeswax, Propolis Glycerin (I....

If you’re a crafter who loves to reuse, chances are you’ve never thrown away a burlap sack, if you were lucky enough to score one. Maybe you have a coffee bag or two taking up space in your crafty stash right now! Try some of these awesome ways to reuse a burlap sack, whether it’s a coffee bag, potato sack, rice bag, or something completely different! Wall Art – Burlap sacks often come printed with cool designs....

As said from their website, the Mirasol Project has a simple philosophy with a lofty goal. Named after a girl that tends alpacas high in the Andes in Peru, the Mirasol Project was created to help and sustain the highland community. With a percentage of every sale of Mirasol yarn, the project is investing back into the community and helping to build a boarding house that will focus on the health and well being of children....

Check out these three Etsy sellers that have some amazing t-shirt yarns. All are cut in one continuous line from old tees and transformed into yarn. T-shirt yarn can be a bit stretchy and it can shed due to the material is was cut from, so be aware. T-shirts also don’t produce much yardage, but it is a fun yarn and an interesting way to reuse an unwanted t-shirt. Bella Flower and Implexus offer a small selection of hearty t-shirt yarn....

We’re right smack in the middle of Fall festival season, and I’ve been sewing up a storm! All that time hunched over the cutting table and sewing machine is definitely taking its toll on my body, and I’m sure I’m not the only crafter that suffers aches and pains after a crafting marathon. Rather than pop a couple of ibuprofen this year, I’m trying to relieve my muscles a little more naturally with yoga poses that target parts of my body that take the most abuse during this time of year....

So I have come up with easy and fun ways to use the yogurt cups for crafts with my kids. So far we have created cats, bats, pumpkins, skeletons and more for Halloween, Christmas bells and penguins for the winter holidays, turtles and frogs for spring and bunnies for Easter. The cast of yogurt cup characters keeps growing. I am thinking butterflies for this weekend. They are simple to create....

For instance, those mermaid leggings in that photo above? I sewed them in exactly the holographic blue mermaid scale print that my mermaid-obsessed kid has been dreaming of, and I went up a full size in the length, so that unlike every other pair of leggings that I’ve ever tried to buy her in a store, they actually fit both her waist AND her legs–yay! And of COURSE, I sewed her American Girl doll a matching pair of mermaid leggings from the scrap fabric....

Need inspiration? No problem! Check out the list of my all-time favorite eco-friendly handmade valentines, and get inspired to share the love: Seed paper valentine. The best part of these valentines are that they’re plantable, so there’s no waste! And don’t think that this project is only for Valentine’s Day–I think it would make a perfectly sweet gift for Mother’s Day or your favorite gardener’s birthday, too. Fabric heart. This sewn valentine has a secret pocket to keep your love notes safe....

There is certainly still a lot of room for growth in the organic notions market, but there are still relatively few manufacturers that are making organic notions. Unfortunately, most of the organic notions available today are bland natural color. Hopefully in the near future us eco-crafters will at least be able to enjoy colored organic thread. For more information on organic notions you must read about What Mainstream Stores Have to Offer and Micheal Miller Fabrics which offers a few organic trims....

Wool sweaters, cotton sweaters, and even acrylic sweaters – there’s a place for all of these in a crafty Christmas! Reclaimed sweaters are a great source of cheap or even free fabric. You can find old sweaters in the back of your closet, at thrift stores, and at yard sales. They’re perfect for spreading holiday cheer and make the perfect material for upcycled holiday decorations. Check out the tutorials on the next page, which utilize all kinds of upcycled sweaters in their creation, and get inspired to recycle sweaters in your own holiday craft projects....

So when I was offered the chance to review the 3rd edition of the book Sewing for Dummies I jumped at the chance thinking this may be my chance to learn to sew. The book is a fabulous with easy to read intructions to everything sewing. I have learned about assembling a great sewing kit, choosing fabrics, working with lace, adding zippers, sewing piping, adding cording and fringe trim, sewing on buttons, adding darts, hemming by hand or machine, and reading patterns....

Do you remember our Ten Ways to Repurpose an Altoids Tin post? Well, here’s one more way to repurpose an Altoids tin– a business card holder! I saw the idea from Shannon at Madigan Made and immediately thought of my friend Crystal. She has business cards for her music ministry, but they always get lost or bent in her purse. If you have this same problem, or know someone who does, whip up this super easy business card holder!...

You want to make a hat for your cat. Let’s just establish that, okay? Like, trying to deny it and pretending that cats in hats isn’t an interest of yours are just not going to be options here. So, you want to make a hat for your cat. But where to begin? Cat hat pattern-drafting can be fiddly, and who wants to waste time on an infinite variety of non-functional cat hats, when what you really want is to see your cat in an adorable hat NOW?...

Cream City Ribbon has a nice selection of biodegradable cotton ribbons made from cotton grown and processed in the US. The ribbon is made without using chlorine bleach and uses water based soy dyes making the ribbon very, very eco. Even the packaging and ribbon spools are made from biodegradable materials. At Cream City Ribbon you’ll find an assortment of solid colors and pattern prints including this red and white gingham picnic print that just screams summer or little red riding hood, doesn’t it?...

Since moving within blocks of a train station a few years ago, I sort of fell out of the cycling habit. I used to ride bikes all over town, and it’s time to get back onto two wheels and back into shape! The thing about riding bikes, especially during summer in the South, is the heat. There’s no way to get around it: by the time you reach your destination, you’re going to be a little sweaty....

So far I’ve only done crafty green reviews of books, everything from Weekend Sewing to the Crafty Chica. But, and perhaps this is only because our public library is AWESOME and lets me check out feature DVDs and all the new computer games and order pretty much every single obscure crafts book that I ask them for, I also enjoy trying out the large number of crafty software programs that exist....

Margaret Wertheim and her twin sister worked for over three and a half years on a hyperbolic crochet model coral reef. Now, their creation is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Hundreds of people contributed to the Institute for Figuring’s project, and the installation includes thousands of crochet models made from yarn and recycled materials. It tells the story of the coral reefs’ fragility, showing the diversity and effects that global warming and ocean acidification are having on these delicate ecosystems....

One frequent reader question that we get is where to find ethically-made garment labels. These custom labels on organic cotton are the perfect solution! Whether you’re making stuffies, clothing, or accessories, a garment tag is a great way to promote your business. A year after someone buys that stuffed toy/dress/cute bag, are they going to remember who made it? A well-placed fabric tag reminds them, so they can recommend you to friends and check out what’s new in your line....

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of Rooms Repurposed for this review. All opinions are 100% my own. Rooms Repurposed is all about purposefully planning your home to maximize space and minimize the cost of your DIY decor. She encourages readers to rethink the conventional definitions of rooms. Living room? No! Why not make that space your “Book club meeting space, meditation room, first floor laundry with pet cove?” This kind of rethinking goes hand-in-hand with green crafting, doesn’t it?...

Got wall space that needs some style? Then check out my small wall makeover that I did in one afternoon with nothing but comic books and Mod Podge. It adds a LOT of personality to a little bit of square footage! To do this project, you will need: old comic books. I get most of my stash from the super-bargain back room at my local comic book shop. Quarter a comic and every eleventh one free–can’t beat a deal like that!...