Published on September 26th, 2009
After all the Halloween craftiness I created from tossed trash last year I am trying to figure out new things to create this year.
I grabbed an ice pail and painted it orange and black for Halloween. I want to find some crafty Halloween paper designs to cut out to decoupage to the pail to dress it up a little more.
I was thinking about wrapping it in scrap book paper but I had no Halloween colors or styles. But I think it turned out pretty good considering it started out as a plain white pail headed for the recycling bin. I would love to make a Halloween bucket with paper like I did when I turned an ice cream pail into a flower girl basket for a wedding. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on August 12th, 2009
[Creative Commons photo via galant]
Have your tomato plants been producing like crazy? Are your cucumbers and green beans blowing up? If you’re producing more than you can eat, it’s a great time to preserve some of your summer bounty for winter! Here are some home canning tips, along with a great five-part series of videos on the topic!
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Published on August 5th, 2009
Container gardening is a great way to grow your own veggies, even in a limited space. We’ve looked at making an upside down tomato planter. Now let’s make use of that patio or back porch’s floor space with a home made Earth Box! Not only does this contraption let you grow a bunch of veggies and herbs in a small space, it’s self-watering! Once you start to get sprouts, you just have to add a bit of water from time to time to replenish the reservoir if you don’t get any rain!
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Published on July 29th, 2009
We’re officially in the thick of summer, and that means cookouts and BBQs galore! Here are some crafty ideas to fancy up your next cookout and divert some trash from the bin all at the same time!
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Published on July 1st, 2009
Summer is here! That means cookouts, porch parties, and backyard picnics! You can fancy up your next outdoor shindig with this easy peasy fabric scrap banner. Here’s what you need to make one:
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Published on June 24th, 2009
We’re normally into all-ages sorts of crafts, but once in a while a crafty gal has got to cut loose! How about fancying up your next cocktail party with a home-made vodka infusion?
Many store bought “infused” vodkas are full of mystery sweeteners and artificial flavors. Keep all those unwanted chemicals out of your cocktail and get creative at the same time! You can even go for an organic vodka.
This infusion recipe only take a few days, so if you get started today, you’ll be all set for any shindigs this weekend! Here are a basic recipe and a couple of flavor suggestions to get you going:
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Published on June 23rd, 2009
[Photo by Becky Striepe]
So your garden’s all planted, and your rows are marked. Maybe you’ve got some upside-down tomatoes going, and your compost bin is chugging right along. You’ve probably got quite a few thirsty plants to take care of!
Rainwater collection is controversial in certain parts of the U.S.. If rainwater harvesting is allowed in your area, though, it’s a great way to water your garden without drawing from the municipal water supply!
Store bought rain barrels can run you upwards of $100. Instead of dropping a ton of cash at the garden center, though, you can make your very own! Some restaurants will even give you their used 55 gallon food grade containers for free, which are perfect for making a rain barrel. Ask around…you might just be surprised!
Here’s a great video from HGTV on how to build your own rain barrel, complete with a spigot:
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Published on June 10th, 2009
If you’ve ever flipped on the TV during a bout of insomnia, I’m sure you’ve seen the late-night ads for the Topsy Turvy tomato planter. For folks trying to garden with limited space, this is a great option! One gardenista I know even says that growing tomatoes and other viney plants upside down makes them grow larger and helps keep garden pests away! You’re not limited to tomatoes with this project, either. Squash, zucchini, green pepper, and strawberries are just a few other plants that you can grow with this method.
Sure, you could make two easy payments of $19.95 and order the pre-made version, but that’s hardly in the green crafty spirit! It’s easy and cheap to make your very own, and you can keep some trash out of the bin while you’re at it. Check out this awesome video on how to turn a used plastic cat litter container into your very own upside down planter:
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Published on May 20th, 2009
[Freshly stained dresser. Photo by Lenore MacLeod-Bickley]
We’ve all got pieces of furniture that look like they’re on the way out. When I first moved to Atlanta, a friend gave me a coffee table. I had no money and very little furniture, so I was grateful even though the table was sort of…well…it was ugly, alright? It was an ugly, ugly table. Rather than pitch it, I decided to give it a fresh coat of white paint and try my hand at a mosaic. We still have that little coffee table living out on the front porch! It’s a little bit dusty at the moment, but I’ll show you a picture if you promise not to judge my housekeeping skills:
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Published on May 8th, 2009
TerraCycle is best known for their garden products packaged in reused bottles and their recycled material fire starter logs.
Now they are expanding their selection of products made from waste to include rain barrels and composters made from discarded wooden wine barrels and cork boards made from used wine bottle corks. They’ve also expanded into making office products from various materials. The cork boards and other office products are available at Office Max stores. Read the rest of this entry »
After all the Halloween craftiness I created from tossed trash last year I am trying to figure out new things to create this year.
