Help Your Local Farmer's Market

What better way is to go green than to buy local? Buying local produce supports your entire community and encourages local farmers to keep growing. I have always enjoyed touring farmers markets whether I'm home or out of town. Some treasure is always to be found among the glorious plants and locally grown fruits and veggies.

Help your local farmer's market to Be America’s Favorite Farmers Market!

It’s summertime and that means two things: 1) There are loads of delicious farm fresh produce available at your local farmers market every week; and 2) American Farmland Trust’s America’s Favorite Farmers Markets™ contest has kicked into gear and we need your votes to win!

The process is simple. To vote for your favorite market, all you have to do is:

1.) Go to www.farmland.org/vote

2.) Type in the name of  your favorite farmers market and,

3.) Click “Vote”

That’s it. That’s all it takes to bring your favorite farmer's market one step closer to being America’s favorite farmers market!

According to American Farmland Trust (AFT), the purpose of this contest is to re-connect local consumers to local farms, with the ultimate goal of keeping our nation’s farm and ranch land productive and healthy! Buying at the farmers market keeps money in the local community and helps farms and ranches remain economically viable. By voting, you’re helping support farms and communities across the nation. As American Farmland Trust says, “No Farms No Food™!”

So don’t forget to vote for your favorite farmer's market at www.farmland.org/vote and spread the word! Big thanks to everyone who has already voted!

Beads, beads, and more beads...the cheap & green way.

Kids love beads. Using a little bit of ingenuity, you can have your kids making beads and jewelry with little or no cost.

The first bead to make is with regular old play dough, either homemade or store bought. Have the kids form the beads on a toothpick or bamboo skewer, let dry thoroughly (overnight or longer, depending on size), then let their imagination take over. These can be painted, left alone, decoupaged, or sealed with acrylic.

Now here's a different bead...made from a potato. These beads take about a week or so to dry, so they take a little more planning.
You can leave them plain (just be sure to seal with acrylic sealer) or paint. This project was painted to look like turquoise. Here is another link to a similar project.

Another option is making beads from paper. These beads will hold up great if you make sure they are properly sealed with an acrylic sealer. You can use newspaper, magazines, wrapping paper, construction paper...almost any paper will work. Experiment with different shapes of paper, make the triangles fatter, longer, or make squares to make different sizes and shapes. Here is a tutorial to get you started. This short video shows the process, and how to combine with beads (possibly reclaimed from old jewelry) to make a stylish necklace.


This final project is more for older teens and adults, but the kids can still string them. This idea is from Dollar Store Crafts, which has become a favorite site. Using plastic bottles and paper, these beads are heated to melt into beads. Be sure to follow all of the precautions!

No necklace is complete without a pendant...so here's a crafty recycling way to make a pendant out of plastic containers from the grocery store.


Don't stop here...let you imagination run wild...find other throwaway items to make jewelry. Remember, make it crafty, make it useful, and make it green!

Let us know if you have any ideas to make jewelry out of junk...we love ideas!

Organic Beaded Jewelry

Handmade Green Jadeite Jade Beaded & Knotted Flower Necklace

Handmade Knotted Jadeite Jade Strawberry Adjustable Bracelet

Host a Green Party...

and get free stuff

Host a Green Works® Kids Gear Swap House Party™.

Help Your Family, Your Closets, and the Planet!

Bring friends and family together on April 10th, to exchange gently worn kids clothing and gear at a Green Works® Kids Gear Swap. If you're selected to host, you'll help to make a world of difference starting right at home. 

• Wash their swappable clothing in Green Works® Natural Laundry Detergent 
• Clean up the toys with Green Works® Natural Compostable Cleaning Wipes

At the swap everyone will share:

• Money-saving coupons
• Great product samples
• Great living natural tips 
• Lots of fun

And to make your party even more exciting — there may be an opportunity to share your party experience using a special gift from Green Works®.*

Spaces are limited. Sign up today for a greener tomorrow.

Apply Now!

*Limited number of gifts as determined by Green Works® to be provided to certain hosts as selected by Green Works®. Selection as a host is not a guarantee of selection to receive a gift.

Be Green, Earn Green

with Capri Sun and Terracycle

Let's face it, sometimes it is very difficult to be environmentally friendly especially when our children go to public school. At school, our kids are bombarded with what everyone else brings. From toys to food, kids want what others have because almost everything looks so fabulous in the hands of others no matter what it is or how it affects the environment.

I try to send snacks in reusable containers but the drink has always been an issue for my conscience. This week, at the grocery store, I was choosing snacks for my girls to take to school. While in the juice aisle, I noticed something different on a couple of the boxes. After reading, "Be Green, Earn Green," I quickly made my decision and brought two of those boxes home. After unpacking all of my groceries, I finally had a chance to look a the box better.

Capri Sun has partnered with Terracycle in a program that encourages schools to save juice pouches and, in turn, earn money. Schools are always looking for ways to raise money for various projects such as updating playground equipment or other such endeavors and this seemed easy enough and would help ease my green guilt over the drinks.

I showed my daughter the box and she informed me this program was already in place at her school. She said they have been saving the pouches for quite some time now. Of course, I was delighted.

Terracycle recycles the Capri Sun juice pouches into some pretty cool products such as backpacks, lunchboxes and pencil cases. Last night, my other daughter and I stopped in Toys R Us on a mission to find a very special birthday present. To my surprise, hanging there in front of me, I saw a Capri Sun backpack from Terracycle. I gave it a once over and the overall quality looked very nice. I actually liked it and would consider buying one in the future. What a great gift idea for an eco-friendly child! The backpack was blue just like the one pictured below.

Terracycle Capri Sun Kids Backpack

For more information about this program, you can check out this link: http://brands.kraftfoods.com/caprisun/be-green-earn-green.aspx

Give a table new life...

and keep it out of the landfill!

Here is an easy idea to take a plain table (or shelf, or almost any wood piece), and make it a treasure.

You can find great, sturdy tables at thrift stores, garage sales, or even on the curb on trash day (or take a look in the garage and attic, ask friends and neighbors what they have lying around).

Materials: Wood table, sandpaper, paint (water based), brushes, acrylic sealer (either spray or brush on), ModPodge (or a 50/50 glue/water mix), and pictures from magazines, wrapping paper, calenders, or your own photos.

Crafting time: A few hours (except for drying time)

First, clean and sand the table to make it smooth and remove some of the finish so the paint will adhere. You don't have to get down to bare wood, just scuff it up a bit.

Paint the table, I usually do the legs first, then work from the top down, catching any drips. You can use regular latex house paint...try looking at your home center in the mistints, they're really inexpensive, and don't dismiss the really dark colors, you can always add a bit to some white or off-white paint to make a lighter shade. You will be sealing the entire piece, so even flat wall paint will work.(check your garage for leftovers from you last room painting project and make an accessory to match, redo that old ugly dresser or nightstand while you're at it).

Paint a second coat if needed. Raw wood may need three or even four coats.

Let dry thouroughly between coats, and after final coat.

Now for the fun part. Cut out your pictures and arrange on the table. Decoupage them with ModPodge, or glue/water mix. Make sure the back of the picture is coated well, place on the table, and cover the surface completely with more goop to seal the edges down well.

Let dry thoroughly, preferably a few hours.

At this point, you can decide if you like it as it is, or want it "antiqued". This is easily accomplished by diluting some brown paint and wiping it on, and wiping off any excess until you have the effect you like.

Now you''re ready for the final step. Coat the whole peace thoroughly with a good acrylic sealer. You can use a spray or brush-on sealer. Let dry between coats, and apply extra coats to the surface to protect it, it will get more wear.

Stand back and admire your talent! Look for free, copyright-free clip art, enlarge it, print it out and use that. Print out favorite photos to make a very personalized piece. You can use a paint pen or stamps to embellish your creation. The possibilities are endless. This method can be used to transform any wood piece...a wood box, cheese box, chair, lamp base...you get the idea. Look around for leftover paint, ask your friends and neighbors. Using leftovers is always better than throwing it out!

Have fun!

Flea Market Furniture Makeovers

Flea Market Makeovers: 25 Projects for Fabulous Home Furnishings

Waste not, want not...

Age-Old Green Advice

Some of the older crowd may recognize this old saying. Recycling is not a new idea, that's how our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers got through rough times and the depression. Remember Granny's button box, the "rag bag" (scraps of flannel shirts and jammies used to clean), or how your grandmother could produce a great toy out of a pile of fabric scraps and some thread? Those women were the original "green" moms.

Using what you have to make adapted versions of toys, clothing, and household goods and decorations is something we need to get back to. Potholders and mats can be made from layering fabric from unwanted clothing stitched together. Denim from cast-off jeans is a great fabric to use, either for the front, or for layering inside for insulation. Simply cut squares or desired shapes from fabric, stitch together and use. You can use pinking shears and leave the edges raw, or bind them with bias tape, or fabric cut on the bias.

That old shelf in the garage that you've been piling tools on can be re-purposed into a storage solution for any room in the house. Just grab some paint. If it's too plain for your taste, you can glue on some lace or trims prior to painting, and use diluted paint to "antique" if you wish, or decoupage, stencil, or use decorative stamps.

Plastic lids from water and soda bottles can be used to keep the kiddies busy, too. (Remember...choking hazard, only for children over 3 with supervision!) A hole can be punched in the center of the cap with a heated awl or knitting needle, and strung on shoelaces. Kids can sort and count the caps, stack them, or use them in an art project.

Worn out pantyhose and tights can have a second life as a tie to support plants or young trees. They're even strong enough to be used as homemade bungee cords, just tie on a couple of S hooks.

Magazines can be recycled into kids art projects (teaching valuable cutting and spacial skills), decoupaged on various surfaces, or even to make beads that will make beautiful jewelry. Milk jugs can be re-purposed to make a mini greenhouse for seedlings, a bird feeder, or even a scoop.

You get the idea. When you need something, before buying new, take a look around your home to see if you have something laying around that can be made to fill that need. Teach your kids to reduce waste by example. Better yet, involve them. Kids can be very ingenious when it comes to imagining new ways to use "trash".

Stay tuned for more ideas, as well as projects...and remember, waste not, want not!

Craftcycle: 100+ Earth-Friendly Projects and Ideas for Everyday Living

Keeping Kids Busy...

the green way

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Judy, and I have been a crafter of sorts all of my life. As a mother, grandmother, and aide with students, I have come up with quite a few recycling crafts, both to use what I had on hand and to cut some costs. Lena has invited me to publish some of my crafty stuff on her blog.

Crafts for kids don't have to cost a lot (sometimes nothing), and crafting helps kids with a lot of life skills they will need to help them in school, and in life. Kids who craft tend to do better in school because they have better problem solving skills, better spatial relation skills, and think "outside of the box." I'll be sharing some of my ideas periodically.

The first step is to get a box, any box or container will do. If it's plain cardboard (shoebox, for example), Let the kids decorate it. Cut colorful scraps of paper (magazines, construction paper, wrapping paper, even leftover wallpaper) and decorate the box. Fill with basics: cheap white glue, crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, glue gun (be sure to SUPERVISE!!!), and scissors.

Then the fun begins..."shop" around the house for anything that could be used in a craft project - buttons, beads, sequins, yarn, trims, scraps of cloth, paper, pinecones, cardboard tubes, shells, bottle caps...let your imagination be your guide.

The next time the kids are bored, bring out the box. You may want to have a themed project, a card for a birthday or a colorful spring project. Spread out newspapers to protect your table, and let the kids create. You can even have a specific craft night...find kid friendly recipes, have the kids make the meal, and craft away. Themed nights are fun...Mexican meal, craft "maracas" out of cardboard tubes filled with beans, pebbles, or rice.

Don't worry if you don't have a specific idea...kids are full of them! The possibilities are endless, and I'll be adding some ideas and projects to spark your creativity.
  Happy crafting, more ideas soon!


The boring stuff: All rights reserved, copyright protected. Please do not copy or post to another website, please link to this blog. You may print for personal use, but do not distribute printed matter without consent....blah, blah, blah. Please respect everyone's rights on the web!

Crazy Crayons "Recycle" Crayon Sticks (100% Recycled Crayons)

Our Green Vacation

Free Day At Disney!!!

To me, Going Green means so much more than just buying all natural products and eating organic foods. It means giving back to nature to keep us healthy. We need our trees and plants to supply  the oxygen we breathe. We need our animals and our insects for our food supply. I know we don't eat bugs but they are responsible for pollination and all that other grand stuff they do.

What better way to give back than to garden whether it be vegetables or flowers? We planted our first vegetable garden last year. Gardening is definitely a learning experience. We went a little overboard on the tomato plants and ended up with a tomato garden. We decided against the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers because I wanted the girls to be able to go pick and eat without concern.

I'm happy we planted our first vegetable garden and experienced the overly abundant tomato crop because we learn from our mistakes. This spring, when we plant again, we will have a better plan. Children learn so much more than we realize and perfection isn't necessary in order to enjoy themselves.

While the girls were home for winter break from school, I kept noticing a commercial flashing over the television screen, which is unusual for me because I don't watch that much TV. "Give a Day. Get a Day!" stuck in my brain although I kept forgetting to investigate this opportunity online.

During a conversation with a friend, who was planning her families' 2010 vacation, that commercial flashed through my mind again. I decided to check it out. It turns out that in exchange for a day of volunteering in our own community, our family of four, will get a free day ticket to Disney World. WOW!!!

Now, we are registered to spend a Saturday helping build a community garden. My kids are quite young so we were limited in our volunteer choices, but this gardening idea is perfect. Both girls are fascinated with plants. As a matter of fact, the youngest must work for the houseplant watering police because if I miss one, she always knows it. I have been sworn to not murder any more of our houseplants. With her help, I think I can oblige.

Me and the girls are looking forward to the community garden project. Husband, well, is not, but he is willing to appease us and go along. If you are interested in learning more, check out the following link:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/index?name=Give-A-Day-Get-A-Disney-Day.

Maybe we will see each other while vacationing at Disney! Woohoo!!!

Wall-E (Three-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy and BD Live) [Blu-ray]

All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space!

Starting Out Simple

Simple Green Strategies

Maybe you think there is just not enough time to live a greener lifestyle or you are unsure where to begin. One step for any family to take is to simply start decluttering your home and this is definitely within any household budget. As moms, we are constantly doing this anyway and our homes will be easier to clean and organize. Sounds like a win-win situation to me.

When the kids outgrow clothes, take them to the consignment shop, give them away or donate them to a reputable charity. When you organize your kitchen cabinets, donate those old pots and pans you never use. If you have too many dishes, throw those into the donation box as well. Less dishes equals less clean up and more free time for you.

Keep track of what you are donating and to whom. Get receipts for ALL of your donations. Use your contributions as a break on your taxes because every bit helps regardless of how insignificant it may seem at the time.

Be more aware of what you buy. Do you or your family need the item you are getting ready to purchase? If not, put it back. You will save room in your house and money in your bank account. I know this proves to be difficult sometimes; but, with any new habit, it takes practice. I'm in the practicing stage at the moment but hope to get better.


Give up the plastic bags at the store and take your own reusable totes. I am seeing these everywhere and the cost is usually under $2 At first, this may seem a bit weird or uncomfortable, but by implementing this simple go green strategy into your shopping routine, you will not only cut down on your clutter at home but also eliminate more waste in the landfills.


If every mom in the United States took their own tote bags when shopping, the results would be astounding. This could be a family project to get everyone involved. Your children will be so proud of themselves and of you for helping to save our planet while learning leadership skills. Join me in this green fight against clutter and may we all be more content for doing so. Have a great, green day!

 

Green Bee 3pk Reusable Shopping Bags w/ Pouch

Reusable Grocery T-Sack Bag, Assorted Color 12 Pk Set

Reusable Grocery Tote Bags 5 Pack "A World of Thanks" Print

God's Green Earth

Going Green and Faith

Why does it seem that so many Christians have such negative opinions about global warming and related issues?

God created the Earth and everything on it. God also gave us free will to choose for ourselves. Human society has made a great deal of mistakes since the beginning of time, and it seems extremly arrogant for people to believe that God will just "fix" what we destroy.

Consider for a moment, how many people abuse their bodies by overeating or whatever their weak areas are. Think of all of the diseases people die with. God doesn't just "fix" them. Sometimes people can overcome obesity and deadly diseases but they must first take responsibility and fight with every instinct they have whether it be eating better, starting an exercise program or whatever else they choose.  

Consider all of the extinct animals and the reasons for their demise. We hunted them and killed them off for a false sense of value or for other horribly selfish reasons. God has never just dropped more of these amazing animals back down here on earth for us to get a second chance to see them in the wild. If He did, we would probably do the same thing and kill them all again.

God gave us plentiful resources and we are go wasteful and arrogant to think we simply cannot deplete them all. In centuries past, people always recycled and, not to mention, the Earth's population was far less. They reused scraps of worn clothing for rugs and quilts. Every scrap of fabric was something precious that had true value.

Plastic bottles didn't exist and neither did large metal appliances that wear out in a few years. Diapers were cloth and landfills were either fields for farmers or covered in trees. Cars were unheard of and trees were reserved for building and not for packaging purposes and paper. Although, toilet paper was nonesistent too. That is an invention I am very grateful for!

What is so wrong with trying to preserve what is left of the bounty the Good Lord gave us? Let's be responsible and grateful for what we have instead of taking it all for granted and expecting God above to do it all.

Go Green, Save Green: A Simple Guide to Saving Time, Money, and God's Green Earth

The Cross and the Rainforest: A Critique of Radical Green Spirituality