Just because you don’t use real eggs doesn’t mean that you have to use plastic eggs for Easter. There are tons of eco-friendly Easter egg alternatives that are way more beautiful than plastic eggs–check out just some of them below! 1. baker’s twine Easter eggs. Glue the baker’s twine onto an especially ugly egg form. It would even work on a plastic egg in your stash, to transform it from disposable to endlessly beautiful....
We love burlap around here! Burlap is made from jute fiber, which has a lot in common with hemp: it requires very little water to grow and hardly any pesticides. It’s renewable and, if it’s undyed, you can even toss it in your scraps compost bin. Pretty awesome, right? The trick with burlap is that for some reason it seems hard to find. Conventional fabric stores don’t often stock it, and it’s tricky to navigate online burlap resources....
Remember CDs? Those shiny discs feel as outdated as microfiche and ditto machines, don’t they? If you’ve still got some CDs in your stash, turn them into a super awesome DIY disco ball! You can often still find CDs at thrift stores, and they usually aren’t in the best shape. The cases are cracked, the inserts are torn, and the discs themselves are usually pretty scratched up. Unplayable CDs don’t have to be destined for the landfill, though!...
I’m brought nearly to my wits end with the absence of green foliage, prominence of sniffles, and slim pickings at the farmers market. Certainly, I am in need of a little pick-me-up… a handmade remnant of summers past perhaps. Enter Rosewebs, a great little Etsy shop out of Portland, where durable accessories are created from recycled and reclaimed lawn furniture webbing. Set your sights on outdoor recreation with these adorable clutches, totes, and wallets!...
Tire sandals are a bohemian tradition, and remain popular in the Far East. Next time you get a flat, look on the bright side, you’re going to get a new pair of shoes out of the deal! Simply follow one of these tutorials on hollowtop.com or eHow. Looking for something a little softer? This project on Cut Out + Keep shows you how to make a pair of fuzzy slippers from an old towel....
book page bunting. The spare look of these looks especially nice at autumn. book pumpkin. Use one of those Reader’s Digest Condensed books. Nobody likes those. cabinet door sign. An old cabinet door makes a really great wreath, with space in the middle for a chalk message. Easter egg acorns. This is a great way to upcycle plastic Easter eggs. fall tree luminaries. Turn tissue paper and upcycled glass jars into these magical lanterns....
Often when my daughters were very, very young, and even now that they’re older as a special treat, I like to set them up to fingerpaint in the bathtub. It’s certainly an art activity that’s more about the process than the product, since the fun is in smearing around and mixing and getting oneself all paint-y and colorful. And when they’re done painting, there’s more fun involved in using the handheld shower nozzle to give everything a good rinse before settling down for a nice bath....
We have been so pleased that so many green crafters and craft aficionados out there have sent in posts, commented, and visited the carnivals thus far. For those who haven’t, we have the following invitation for you: Submit one of your posts! Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. The next two carnivals will be here at Crafting A Green World and then at Whip Up. The blog carnival submission form is the easiest way for us to keep straight who’s sent in what, but if it gives you fits then email us at greencraftscarnival (at) gmail (dot) com....
Got some egg cartons taking up ALL the space in your recycling bin? Got some little kids? If you can answer yes to both of those questions, then you have everything that you need for 51 Things to Make with Egg Cartons, which I received for free from a publicist, by Fiona Hayes. In this book, you are going to find all the cute things that little kids like to make, and they all come from egg cartons....
This coming Sunday, the Craft Mutiny Arts and Crafts Collective is having a Supply Swap at the fifth annual Crafty Bastards, Arts and Crafts Fair in Washington, D.C. The Supply Swap is a great way to reuse and recycle leftover craft supplies. You can donate your leftover and slightly used craft supplies and trade them in for new-to-you supplies. Tried a craft that didn’t work out? Donate the supplies to the swap....
Who says you need to buy expensive beauty products at the big box store? From deodorant and perfume to facial masks and scrubs, you can whip up these DIY beauty recipes using materials that you probably already have at home. Packaging Your DIY Beauty Recipes If course, you’ll also want to store your DIY beauty products using the greenest packaging you can! Reclaimed glass jars are one of my favorites for storing homemade beauty supplies....
Here are 20 incredible DIY globe projects that I found across the web (warning: you might catch globe fever, too): DIY painted globe Sectioned painted globe Add a globe to an average standing lamp Update an old globe with thumb tacks DIY two-toned chalkboard globe Solid color chalkboard globe Repurposed globe art Recycled globe travel bank 9. Whimsical decoupaged globe Half globe light fixture cover Globe pendant light DIY repurposed globe bowl Build a globe clock Paint quotes on a globe Turn a globe into an unique wedding guest book DIY globe night light Hang globes from the ceiling Cover a globe with vintage buttons and lace Add bunting to dress up a globe Put a collection of globes on top of your kitchen cabinets Which globe project do you want to create for your home?...
Garland is such a classic way to decorate fireplace mantels, doorways, and windows during the holidays. We’ve still got plenty of time to get some decorations up before the season is over, so here are some great ideas for making your own. If you have holiday cards piling up but no mantle to set them on, you can easily create a nifty garland with them. The folks over at Martha Stewart suggest you drape tinsel across a mirror to hang your cards on....
There is no denying that winter is officially upon us, at least in the Midwest. Our apartment is in an older home which means that there are drafts galore. These drafts make it very difficult to warm your home as a lot of your heating energy is lost through cracks under doors and around windows. Draft snakes, or dodgers, are one of the easiest ways to cut down on your heating costs during the winter....
This Monday is Earth Day, and there’s no better time to get your green craft on! …actually, if you want to tackle some of these fun, eco-friendly craft projects over this weekend instead of waiting for Monday, we will never tell. Of course, around here we want to make Earth Day every day. The environment matters all the time, not just once a year, but what I love about Earth Day is that it’s a chance to really take stock and focus on how we want our crafting to make our lives a little more Earth friendly....
If you’re looking for a totally mess-free, eco-friendly craft project, then origami may just be it–no glue, no glitter, no paint, AND you can use upcycled and vintage papers! Try these easy origami projects that anyone can do. Sometimes the learning curve to get to the particular, elaborate origami piece that you’d like to make may seem too high, but origami is like any other craft: start small, don’t get frustrated by mistakes, and gradually work your way up to the level of technique that you need to make the really intricate stuff....
Easter is right around the corner ready to hop into your homes. Are you ready? Have you considered having an Eco- Easter? Forget the throwaway baskets, the terrible un-eco plastic grass, and cheap little plastic toys that are broken and trashed before the day is over. This year consider being green and offering your children fun, quality toys and products that are eco-friendly and that can be enjoyed for much longer that a day or two....
Shown above is a necklace made of wood and thread by neawear: tinctory‘s smocked necklaces inspired by historic textiles are works of art, honoring handmade traditions. This custom dress above by Makool is one of my favorite items featured. So flowing and natural, like a watercolor cloud, with a silk ribon sash wrapping it up. Joy also shares these delicately cut metal nervoussystem pendants: We all agree that decoylab‘s mini clock says teatime in the loveliest way possible!...
These super-sized, bold prints from Betz White are perfect for those spring sewing projects! Confession: Betz White is one of my crafty heroes. She’s a green crafty superstar, author of several books on reclaimed crafts, and an all around amazing woman. We’ve covered her fabric lines here before, and I was thrilled to see her new collection: Mod Max. White says: Don’t you just love the gigantic designs in cheery, spring colors?...
Australia-based designer Danielle Stewart hand screen-prints her fresh, modern designs onto linen/cotton or hemp/cotton fabrics using environmentally friendly solvent-free inks. An independent textile designer based in Fremantle, Western Australia, Stewart discovered a passion for screen-printed textiles while studying fashion and textile design, which led her to start up her own business a couple of years ago. She loves the challenge of creating repeating patterns and the excitement of seeing her designs transformed into gorgeous prints on fabric!...
