DIY

DIY Eco-Gift Guide For The Unexpected House Guest – (Not) On Your Holiday List

22 Dec 2010

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Right about now (a few days before Christmas), everything is amped up – the gifts, the grub and the guests! We can plan and prepare, but who can prepare for the unexpected house guest?

They say the best gifts are unexpected. They (whoever “they” are) also say, house guests are like fish, they both begin to smell after a while.

I really love entertaining house guests, even the unexpected kind (who smell lovely). But unexpected house guests remind me of upside down cakes. These cakes push the boundaries of cooking – are they bottomless or topless delectables? Where does it begin and end? Anyway, the same can be true for house guests – What are the boundaries?

The first question I ask is, “How long do you plan on visiting?” Once we’ve got that set, we’re pretty much good to go. I like to make a few easy gifts and store them away, just in case…

DIY Water Carafe
This is a quiet little gift (of the upside down kind) that sends a loud message to your guests that plastic water bottles don’t belong in your home.

What you need:
A few glasses or a bottle and a glass – one tall and narrow, and one short and wider (like the ones in the image above).

What to do:
1. Place a tall narrow glass bottle next to the bed.
2. Cover the tall glass with a shorter and wider one.
3. You can put a recycled sleeve cup cozy onto the glass to add a touch of warmth to the gift.

Photos: Remodelista, Noel Hendrickson/Getty Images from Planet Green

No CommentsCategory: decor, DIY, Eco-Friendly, Family, Food, Green Home, Holidays, Sustainable Living

DIY Eco-Gift For The Traveler On Your Holiday List

21 Dec 2010

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It is a nightmarish holiday season for European travelers. A high-octane storm blanketed areas of Europe during the peak of the holiday shopping and travel season. Huffington Post reports that Britain, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark have shut down runways and posted cancellations or delays on many flights.

Scenarios like this can be so stressful for travelers. Stranded for hours and sometimes days, makes packing for the unknown challenging. What do travelers need? Matt Gross, author of the The New York Times blog, The Frugal Traveler believes travelers need to lighten up – “Waste is the antithesis of frugality, and unnecessary belongings can make travel more difficult than it already is.”

A gift for a traveler should be:
1. Something that takes up very little space.
2. Something that would be a breeze to get through the scrutiny of airport security.
3. Something easy to carry.

When I asked a master adventure traveler, and the author of Black Smoke, Margaret De Wys what she always takes with her when she travels, her response was, “A journal to write in.”

Giving a handmade journal is a thoughtful personalized gift that can be used for the culmination of an eco-globetrotting trip to save the world, or a place to store the utterances and frustrations of a day spent in an airport during a snowstorm.

DIY Travel Journal

Here is a photo journal tutorial from Photojojo (a fabulous resource). It can be made using sugarcane fiber, reclaimed or recycled paper, with inner pockets for storing maps, scraps of fabrics, coins and mementos. I like that the spine opens flat for drawing and writing across the pages.

Here are 10 Reasons To Write In a Journal and for 5 more DIY Journals CLICK HERE.

Photo: Photojojo

No CommentsCategory: crafts, DIY, Eco-Friendly, Family, Green Home, Holidays, Sustainable Living

DIY Eco-Gifts For The Skier/Snowboarder On your Holiday List

21 Dec 2010

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Around here, “‘Tis the season” also means, it’s time to hit the slopes. We just love winter sports and we all ski and snowboard. What we don’t love is the pricey equipment, and an industry that generally gets a thumbs down for eco-friendliness.

Ski, snowboard and skateboarding paraphernalia tends to be highly technical, but damaged skis, snowboards and skateboards make great materials for DIY projects.

When my son was a teenager, skateboards ruled. We created this skateboard bench from a skateboard that he didn’t want to toss. The board had seen a fine street life, but it was ready for retirement. With a few screws and four hairpin legs, we upcycled the skateboard into a bench. This is a picture of the underside of the bench (Jimi Hendrix always rules).

Green Mountain Ski Furniture recycles old skis and snowboards into ski furniture in the same manner we did with the skateboard. They provide DIY kits to make chairs, benches, tables, and racks from your old discarded skis or snowboards.

Note about the main image: That is me skiing at Whistler. I have no idea how I made it down that mountain. I went around the turn and I was petrified – it was so steep.
Photo: Recycled Skis

One CommentsCategory: crafts, decor, Design, DIY, Eco-Friendly, Family, Green Home, Holidays, Reduce/Recycle/Reuse

DIY Eco-Gifts For Recyclers On Your Holiday List

20 Dec 2010

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Maybe one of the biggest differences between growing up in my childhood home and my children’s home (mine too), is that now we all recycle. This one small act is something each and everyone of us can do at home to help save the planet.

I was totally floored during a recent conversation with an obviously intelligent woman who blurted out, “I don’t recycle.” It opened a floodgate of comments here. Recycling is such an integral environmental issue that I come back to it often –  as I did last week in this post, “5 Reasons Why People Don’t Recycle and 5 Reasons They Should.”

We need to continue to cultivate a culture of recycling. I wrote about setting up a recycling center with my son in his first apartment here. Maybe, just maybe, we can begin to make a dent into the environmental mess we’ve made.

What do all good recyclers need? They can never have enough recycling bins.

DIY Gift Idea: Recycling Bin and Labels

Recycling bins perform an important task, but the bins themselves are pretty utilitarian. Here are two novel DIY gift ideas:
This Barn Wood & Chalkboard Bin is made from a reclaimed wood bin that has been painted with chalkboard paint. Use low-VOC blackboard paint from Hudson chalkboard paint to label the contents of the bin. Or, you can just print out a sheet of personalized DIY Recycling Bin Labels.

I love the clever labeling on the recycling bins in the main image. It makes you think about all the possibilities, while raising awareness.

For 5 more recycling center ideas CLICK HERE.

Photo: Apartment Therapy, VivaTerra

One CommentsCategory: crafts, decor, DIY, Eco-Friendly, Family, Green Home, Holidays, Reduce/Recycle/Reuse

DIY Eco-Gifts For The Quilter on Your Holiday List

20 Dec 2010

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A handmade quilt is a true luxury. Quilts made from pieced together scraps of fabric that otherwise may have been wasted, make quilters the ultimate green DIYers.

It is estimated that between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are discarded annually worldwide. That’s more than a million per minute.

Why not give all the materials to create a DIY Eco-Quilted bag. A quilted bag made from organic fabrics or recycled materials such as: burlap bags, dishtowels, old curtains, jeans, used scarves or old clothes will help to curb plastic and paper bag waste, and can become an heirloom worthy of passing down to your children.

DIY Eco-Quilted Bag

This Quilted Bag from Quilting For Peace-Making the World A Better Place One Stitch at a Time, by Katherine Bell is an easy sewing project. Here is the pattern for the bag. Include in the bag a copy of this heartwarming book about a group of dedicated and diverse quilters who create small acts of creative kindness in their quest to make the world more peaceful.

Photo: Garnet Hill, Quilting For Peace

No CommentsCategory: crafts, DIY, Eco-Friendly, Green Home, Holidays, Reduce/Recycle/Reuse, Shopping

DIY Eco-Gifts For The Pet Lover On Your Holiday List

19 Dec 2010

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Naughty or nice, our pets love the holidays. My pooches catch the energy of all the holiday activity, but they don’t always get what they want. Sure, they get unconditional love and romps in the snow, and hugs from guests, but they want more. They want cookies. Pets (especially dogs) suffer from severe cookie envy. They want holiday treats too.

Make these healthy dog treats to satisfy their holiday cravings.

Keep The Holidays Safe For Pets

Last year, I asked my sister-in-law, Dr. Carol Gamez of the Georgetown Veterinary Hospital, what pet owners can do to keep their pets safe and healthy.

1. So as to avoid an accident, keep your Christmas tree well anchored. This will prevent a curious feline or dog from knocking it over.

2. The use of tinsel, string or yarn to decorate the tree should be avoided, as these can potentially cause a life-threatening blockage if ingested by your cat.

3. Since cats love to chew on plants, keep Poinsettias in areas that the cat cannot access. Although not necessarily poisonous, they can cause serious gastrointestinal symptoms if ingested.

4. Never leave holiday candles burning in areas that can be accessed by your pets, as they could knock them over a cause a fire.

5. During the holiday season, we all tend to overeat. Sweets and high fat foods should not be given to your pets. And don’t be tempted to feed them off the table. This encourages begging and bad manners.

6. After a holiday meal, enjoy a healthy walk and bring your furry friends too. Your dog will enjoy the exercise.

7. If it’s chilly outside, keep your dog warm with a winter coat especially if they are a short-coated breed.

8. Salt on the road can harm your pet’s feet. If at all possible, avoid salted roads. If not possible, dog boots can be worn. Or, simply shorten the walk. Then rinse your dog’s feet with warm water to remove the salt after the walk.

Thanks, Carol!

Photo: Jen Kiaba

One CommentsCategory: DIY, Family, Food, Health, Holidays

DIY Eco-Gifts For The Organic Gardener On Your Holiday List

18 Dec 2010

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“I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” ~ The Lorax

We all know what happened in Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax…the Once-ler devised ways of cutting down Truffula Trees for the “Biggering and Biggering” of his manufacturing operation. The Once-ler “Biggered” to the point where he polluted the Lorax’s water and air, and left him in a sunless panorama of Truffula stumps. Poor Lorax.

You are luckier than the Lorax, right? Maybe that’s because you have an organic gardener on your holiday list. These eco-champions use their big green thumbs to stand up against ecological destruction. Gardening without harmful chemicals is their motto. Raising environmental awareness and creating and maintaining healthy ecosystems are their mission.

DIY Gifts For Organic Gardeners

Give An Organic Plant
Truffala Trees withstanding, Charlie Nardozzi of the The Organic Authority suggests you look beyond poinsettias and give an unusual organic plant.

Plant it Green
Use organic soil and newspaper to make these (super easy) DIY Seedling Cups.

Wrap It Green
Ditch the non-recyclable shiny foil wrapping paper. My mom often wrapped our gifts in the comics section of the newspaper. Who knows, maybe that’s why I like kids books so much. I also like using pieces of cloth scraps to wrap small gifts. Martha talks about how traditional wrapping of plants detracts from their “earthy beauty” here.

Gardening Bucket
Make a Gardener’s Bucket and enclose a copy or a quote from The Lorax:

“Plant a new Truffula.
Treat it with care.
Give it clean water.
And feed it fresh air.
Grow a forest.
Protect it from axes that hack.
Then the Lorax 
and all of his friends 
may come back.”

2 CommentsCategory: crafts, DIY, Eco-Friendly, Food, Garden, Green Home, Holidays, Kids, Sustainable Living

DIY Eco-Gifts For The Nature Lover on Your Holiday List

18 Dec 2010

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Do you know someone who needs to connect intimately with nature every day? Besides enjoying a healthy dose of the outdoors, what more could a nature lover need? While they are enjoying all of nature’s beauty, they need to stay safe.

Here are DIY gifts to keep your nature lover safe on the trail:

1. Create a walking map of the hikers destination with Google Earth and add a DIY compass to stay the course.

2. Knit a pair of hiking socks and fingerless gloves.

3. Put all your belongings in a DIY backpack. Here are instructions for making a cardboard backpack. It calls for a piece of folded cardboard, a few strips of wood, and a fabric strap.

4. Create a first-aid kit.

5. Everyone has their limitations, and it’s good to have something to keep steady while walking. A good walking stick (or staff) can fend off an unstable disaster or maybe an unwanted critter. Did you know walking sticks have been proven to take a great deal of pressure off of the knees? Here’s a tutorial to make one.

One CommentsCategory: crafts, DIY, Eco-Friendly, Family, Health, Holidays, Knitting, Nature

DIY Eco-Gifts For The Musician On Your Holiday List

16 Dec 2010

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“Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn.” ~ Charlie Parker

I have a sweet spot for musicians. Not just because my son is one, but also because I love listening to music. It has the ability to reach right into your soul and lift your emotions.

I recently found a treasure trove of old sheet music in the piano bench. I plan to make this paper box garland to decorate the living spaces of all the passionate music lovers in my life.

DIY Music Paper Box Garland

Susan Wasinger, author of eco craft adds a festive touch to holiday decorations. She created an origami music box garland that is illuminated with LED string lights.

How to: Fold sheet music into a boxes and string the LED lights into the holes of the individual boxes.

To make a music folder, recycled record bowl and clock, concert ticket holder, woven guitar pick basket, personalized CD inserts, music cookie cutters, and a musical Christmas stocking CLICK HERE.

Photo Credit: Ben Scott

One CommentsCategory: crafts, decor, DIY, Family, Music

DIY Eco-Gifts For The Long Lost Relative On Your Holiday List

16 Dec 2010

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Nothing evokes family like holiday gatherings. Why not gather your whole family together in a family tree? Creating a family tree can be a profound and thrilling journey into unknown territory. Once you get past the forest of names and information, the insightful findings make the effort personally rewarding. Plus, it’s a great gift for that hard-to-buy-for relative.

DIY Family Tree

My Tree and Me creates hip and modern genealogy charts connecting the history of your family. I also like My Tree and Me because 1% of all of their profits are donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Photos: Jen O’Neill for My Tree And Me

2 CommentsCategory: Art, decor, Design, DIY, Family, Holidays
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