I'm a writer, crafter, Zombie Preparedness Planner, and homeschooling momma of two kids who will hopefully someday transition into using their genius for good, not the evil machinations and mess-making in which they currently indulge. I'm interested in recycling and nature crafts, food security, STEM education, and the DIY lifestyle, however it's manifested--making myself some underwear out of T-shirts? Done it. Teaching myself guitar? Doing it right now. Visit my blog Craft Knife for a peek at our very weird handmade homeschool life, and my etsy shop Pumpkin+Bear for a truly odd number of rainbow-themed beeswax pretties.
This is a great way to use up small scraps from your recent projects, and especially other projects that you’ve sewn for these same kids.
Easy Stashbusting Project: Stitched Scrap Fabric and Felt Memory Game Read More 👉
My go-to process for cleaning wax out of jar candles used to be tedious and time-consuming. But now I’ve successfully used the Power of Science to come up with THE quickest and easiest go-to process.
The Easiest Way to Clean Wax out of a Jar Candle Read More 👉
We love outdoor games, and we also love indoor games that get us off our butts for a bit. Here’s my list of my favorite outdoor and active games to DIY. All use eco-friendly materials and methods, and all include free tutorials so you can have them in your backyard, too!
Two Dozen Homemade Outdoor and/or Active Games Read More 👉
This mini heart bunting is a low-key gift, since it’s nice and small. Big hearts are corny, but small hearts are cute!
No-Sew Mini Felt Heart Bunting Read More 👉
This Valentine’s Day, I’m giving my teenagers each this little gift created with their two favorite things in mind: sugar cereal and tiny notebooks!
Here’s how to make your own tiny heart-shaped notebooks with cereal box covers and upcycled papers!
Heart-Shaped Cereal Box Notebook with Upcycled Papers Read More 👉
In the past year we’ve been blessed with lots of new kid-craft books that use eco-friendly methods and materials, and have the explicit intention of encouraging children and their caregivers to live green lifestyles. Here are my favorites!
The Best Eco-Friendly Kid Craft Books Published in the Past Year Read More 👉
I’m always on the lookout and reserve a special place in my heart for those craft books that truly do use eco-friendly methods and/or materials.
Here, then, are my favorite eco-friendly craft books published in 2022!
My Five Favorite Eco-Friendly Craft Books of 2022 Read More 👉
If you have a phrase in mind that’s speaking your name right now, here are some fun, eco-friendly, DIY and NON-CHEEZY ways to get that word art out there into the universe
20 Eco-Friendly Projects To Create Word Art That Isn’t Cheezy Read More 👉
There are so many ways to create your own building block sets, so many ways to embellish old or thrifted block sets to make them playable in an all-new way, and so many ways to upcycle blocks so that you can enjoy them in brand-new ways.
Three Dozen DIY Building Block Crafts Read More 👉
Whether you’re refurbishing a kid’s hand-me-down building blocks for a new generation, or adding new interest to a current toy, painting building blocks is an excellent way to turn an old toy into something brand-new and exciting.
New Toys from Old Toys: Painted Building Blocks Read More 👉
Here’s how to deep clean wooden building blocks and simple wooden toys, how to refurbish them, and even how to polish them up so they look beautiful and fancy and like the high-quality heirlooms that they are.
How to Clean and Refurbish Old Wooden Building Blocks Read More 👉
There are so many DIY Christmas garland options using one of the most eco-friendly and economical materials out there: paper!
Paper Chains and Wrapping Paper Buntings: Two Dozen DIY Paper Garlands and Hangings Read More 👉
However, you can do a lot more with the classic paper chain, especially in terms of Christmas tree decor. Because wouldn’t you rather have an eco-friendly, customized garland that fits your specific vibe?
Easy, Eco-Friendly Christmas Craft: Paper Chain Christmas Tree Garland Read More 👉
Last week, I showed you all of my favorite felt ornaments. Here, then, are some of my other favorite felt crafts that I make around Christmas-time.
Even More Felt Christmas Crafts! Two Dozen Wreaths, Garlands, Decorations, and Toys Read More 👉
Felt is excellent for children and beginners because it doesn’t fray. It can be hand-sewn or machine sewn, and while it has zero drape, it has a ton of structure that allows you to skip the starch and interfacing.
So pick your favorite ornament, your favorite felt, and start crafting!
Three Dozen Felt Christmas Ornaments to DIY Read More 👉
You’ve picked out an old book and prepped its pages–what’s the next step in creating an altered book that you’ll love?
Let your imagination be your guide!
18 Ideas for Making Altered Book Art Read More 👉
Fortunately, those stained, snagged, or simply outgrown tights don’t have to go into the wastestream! Here’s how to upcycle your old tights in a myriad of ways.
18 Projects to Upcycle Tights Read More 👉
This photo shoot with Jack-o-lanterns on our heads is one of the funnest Halloween activities I’ve done yet in my life.
You Should Take Pumpkinhead Photos Read More 👉
Be warned: pants zippers are tedious and painstaking to replace. What they are not, however, is difficult. If you’ve sewn with zippers before, and you’re comfortable using a zipper foot, you can make this repair.
How to Replace the Zipper in a Pair of Pants Read More 👉
If you sew, and especially if you enjoy refashioning clothing or upcycling pieces to give them new lives, you should be reclaiming the zipper from every single pair of pants that wanders through your workshop.
You Should Reclaim the Zippers from Your Old Pairs of Jeans Read More 👉
No matter what cushion you’ve got that needs a washable, reusable cover, I’m not going to judge you. Instead, I’m going to show you how to make that cover from any handy blanket that you’ve got in your stash.
DIY Cushion Cover from a Blanket Read More 👉
Altering a book to use as a journal requires more than just scoring the perfect ancient tome. After you do a price check to make sure you’re upcycling trash, not destroying a national treasure, you have to physically prepare the book to receive your art, writing, and ephemera.
Four Methods to Prepare the Pages of an Altered Book Read More 👉
But if you were one of the 800 members of the Auntie Sewing Squad, you helped make over 250,000 fabric masks to donate to 200 communities around the country, prioritizing the vulnerable communities that were the most affected by COVID-19 and the most disenfranchised from the political power bases that informed community response.
My personal rule of thumb these days is that the more I love my letter and want it to reach its destination, the more standard I make the envelope. If you’re just playing around with some fun, low-stakes pieces, feel free to experiment with your most creative choices. If you really want your piece to arrive safely and on time, however, make you DIY envelopes just a *little* bit creative.
Is Your DIY Envelope Mailable? Here are the USPS Guidelines for Handmade Envelopes Read More 👉
And homemade hair accessories, especially when they’re crafted from the scraps and stash of your craft supplies, or upcycled from other items, are an easy, fun way to add some personality to your wardrobe.
20 DIY Hair Accessories to Make from Materials You Already Own Read More 👉
Scrunchies are one of my favorite stashbuster projects. Like the other projects that I mentioned, scrunchies are very forgiving, so you can fudge fabric dimensions as needed to fit your scraps.
Upcycled Hair Accessories: Stashbust a Scrunchie Read More 👉
The manufacturing process for making cement at its current large scale is highly toxic, and is one of the worst things happening to the environment at the moment.
Is Cement Eco-Friendly? Spoiler Alert: Not Really Read More 👉
If you, too, are beholden to a continually evolving set of brand-new tights all year, every year, this little hack won’t cure your heartbreak, but it might make you feel maybe 3% better, at least if you or someone you love also has hair that occasionally needs to be tied back.
DIY Dancer: Upcycled Hair Ties Made from Tights Read More 👉
But alas, Shein is yet another imported fast fashion outlet, even more insidiously unsustainable than the other imported fast fashion outlets.
So if Shein is so unsustainable, why is it so popular, especially with young adults who should know better?
Why Shein Sucks, and What You Should Wear Instead Read More 👉
Want to have a meaningful wedding that doesn’t cater to the multi-billion-dollar wedding industry? Want to have a personalized wedding that celebrates your love as well as the ethical standards that guide your life? Want to wear and decorate with and eat and share only things you love, and that love the Earth?
The Second-Hand Wedding Dress, and Other Eco-Friendly Wedding Choices Read More 👉
It turns out that plastic 2-liter bottles are sturdy and versatile, perfect for upcycling into a variety of fun projects!
Leaning into the Discomfort, Part Three: 20 Ways to Upcycle 2-Liter Plastic Bottles Read More 👉
I LOVE the hanging planters that these plastic bottles create. They’re extremely light, so I don’t have to worry about overburdening the curtain rods that I hang a million plants and suncatchers and other dangly things from. They’re self-watering, so I can leave them without worry when I travel, and the water reservoirs are transparent, so I can see when I need to refill them.
Leaning into the Discomfort, Part Two: 2-Liter Bottle Hanging Planters Read More 👉
Somehow, until I made the effort to really think about how I could reuse plastic 2-liter bottles, it never occurred to me that a plastic 2-liter bottle is a nearly perfect planter. It’s cheap. It’s sturdy. It’s light. It’s easy to modify to fit a variety of needs.
Leaning into the Discomfort, Part One: How to Upcycle a 2-Liter Bottle into a Planter Read More 👉
Reinforcing that entire thigh area, both the rip and the surrounding real estate, with a denim patch, as well as quilting the snot out of that patch, stops the rip.
This Mend Will Stay Mended! The Forever Fix to Thigh Rips in Your Jeans Read More 👉
Whether you’re prepping for the next in a line of 1970s parties or just getting a head start on Halloween–or just love 1970s clothing!–check out my list of my favorite DIYs of 1970s fashions.
Clothing Refashions: 18 Projects to Bring the 1970s Back Read More 👉
