Crafting a Green World

A good thrift store is an asset to a community equal to that of a mom-and-pop hardware store, a locally-famous ice cream/snowcone/frenchie stand, and a rockin’ adult co-rec softball team: in other words, it’s crucial.

In my hometown, we’re lucky not only to have all of the above and a library that stocks just released feature film DVDs, but several excellent thrift stores—thrift stores small and quirky, thrift stores large and conglomerate, thrift stores frequented largely by the college students, thrift stores frequented mostly by the townies. As an avid crafter whose Crafting Manifesto dictates that I work primarily with recycled materials, I have throughout several years’ worth of projects figured out a way to use pretty much any kind of thrift store junk to make awesome stuff. Here are some of the possibilities: Read the rest of this entry »

[Handmade business cards by Lizerati. Used with permission.]

We’ve had crafty business on the brain this week! On Sunday, Julie wrote about salvaged setups for outdoor shows, and yesterday, I posted about recovering after a long day of vending. So what about your promotional materials? It’s important to have some sort of take-away at your booth so folks who don’t have cash on hand can find you later. Here are a few eco-friendly resources for making or printing your business cards!
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[Downward Facing Dog Pose. Creative Commons photo by Lululemon Athletica]

Craft show season is winding down here in the South, now that the weather is getting warmer. Those long days tending your booth take a toll on your whole body, for sure! Between hauling a heavy tent, tables, display, and merch and the 10+ hour days, your muscles take a beating. Rather than take over-the-counter medications, why not relieve your muscles a little more naturally with some yoga poses targeting the body parts that take the most abuse at a craft show?

If you have a lull at the show during the day, you might try this quick five-minute chair yoga routine around the middle of the day. A little stretching throughout the day can make a big difference on how you feel at the end of it! You can also do your body a big favor by trying not to stay in the same position all day. If you tend to sit, make sure you get up once every hour or so and walk a little bit, even if it’s just inside of your tent. If you’re more of a stander, have a seat or a squat just to give your knees and back a little break.

Whether you’re able to take some preventative measures or not, you’ll probably have stiff legs, back, and arms to deal with in the evening or next morning. Here are some poses to help you out!
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I don’t have a natural affinity for interior design, so it’s taken years of work to keep finally coming closer and closer to a craft fair display that is pleasing, unique, manageable, and effective.

Two long tables with all my stuff piled on? Nobody could see anything from outside my booth, and thus didn’t bother to enter. Two big hinged display boards for vertical display? People could see them, but they were hugely heavy to haul and couldn’t actually hold much. Store-bought displays? I don’t buy new things, and I don’t pull enough profit to spend that kind of money, anyway.

And thus, over time, I’ve come to my trifecta of craft fair display requirements: 1) It must be made primarily of recycled, salvaged, or scavenged materials (just like the items I sell). 2) It must be a VERY effective display, ideally taking up little space and able to display more than one item. 3) It must be AWESOME. Read the rest of this entry »

I love everything Amy Butler, from her scrapbook papers to her eco gift wraps, and of course her fabric.  I peruse the Amy Butler Design site often to check for new things and I almost always find something delightful.  This time what I found wasn’t fabric or paper, but it does come in a gorgeous bottle.

Soak in Sola by Amy Butler is a biodegradable, phosphate-free, rinse-free fabric wash made in collaboration with Soak. Soak’s fiber-friendly cleanser is designed for the most delicate hand-washables, including quilts, knits, cross-stitch, and lingerie.  The no-rinse solution has even been used for pets and stuffed animals.  This limited edition version is scented with Amy’s signature fragrance called Sola.  They say Sola is a soft comforting fragrance like an evening walk through the garden.  The bottle is simple and beautiful.

I hope you are enjoying the Eco Packaging Handmade For You series. In today’s post we will be taking a look at some great handmade bags and boxes perfect for product packaging or even gift wrapping. In all things I believe in the KISS motto - Keep It Simple Silly, and packaging is no exception. You do not need extravagant overdone packaging that will probably be thrown away by the recipient. Instead keep it simple, keep it easy to open, and keep it handmade. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m a novice gardener. I’ve been interested in gardening for a few years now, but since my two little girls will, this summer, turn 3 and 5, you can imagine, I’m sure, what the last five summers have been like for me. This year, however, I’m dedicated, I’m committed, I have two children who are happy and independent and love the outdoors, I have a next-door-neighbor who just cut down the tree in her front yard that loomed over my front yard–in other words, I am ready to garden.

I still don’t have an infinity of free time, however, and so not only am I gardening with the lasagna garden method, but I’m also basically eschewing nearly all ornamentals. I like my garden to be pretty, sure, but I also need it to multitask for me.

Multitasking means sunflowers, and speckled cranberry beans that climb them. It means kale in the border garden, and carrots in between the lilac bushes.

It also means that I’m growing many of the natural materials that I’d like to craft with in the coming year. Here’s a list of what I’m growing, and some other ideas for what you could put in your own crafty garden:

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Pratt was the star of this year’s ICFF Design Schools’ Exhibition with their Design for a Dollar contest. Amazingly, with the design constraint of using a buck or less, the Pratt students invented brilliant eco home ideas (many upcycled from totally discarded items). The competition required students to create designs that include manufacturing costs, transportation, energy, material, labor and waste issues.

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One of the simplest ways to embellish your products is to add a beautiful hang tag. You can have professionally printed hang tags made with your logo, but they always seem so sterile and lifeless. Instead consider buying handmade creative hang tags for a unique addition to each product. They also make a great place to jot a quick thank you. Read the rest of this entry »

So last summer when my husband and I were rummaging through the basement we found an old dresser/chest of drawers that had been used as a work bench or something by my grandfather. The poor thing looked pretty rough but is made from solid wood so we figured we could save it, make it look better and be useful once again.

The bad thing was we didn’t know much about refinishing furniture. My husband sanded it down to remove the old varnish or whatever it was covering it then we painted it. Probably not the best idea. Read the rest of this entry »