Going green, one page at a time

I'm a bit of a slow mover when it comes to converting my lifestyle to being 'greener'. I recycle my cans & bottles, and reuse them when I can, gave cleaning with vinegar a try, shop at thrift stores and flea markets. Now I have a Pinterest account. I'm not convinced that this will replace my need for magazines and the satisfaction of tearing and book marking pages (sometimes whole sections). Kind of like how e-readers can't quite replace the joy of reading a old book with worn pages with scribbled notes and underlinings. But maybe, just maybe it will keep me from tearing pages out of magazines and instead I can pin them on one of my Pinterest moodboards and then I can pass my magazines around to friends to borrow or donate them to a doctors office or something. Maybe. Just maybe.

GO GREEN,

BUY VINTAGE

 

ROADTRIP!!

So I owe you all a little-bitty update on my life...in a few weeks the hubs, doggie & I are heading out in the truck for a tour of the west half of the U.S. We won't be doing Alaska or Hawaii however...

(Buy this print here)

We went to Hawaii on our honeymoon and we will do Alaska another time (He says the camping is great, but everytime he talks about his visit there its all about the many bears he saw...hmm...I'm not convinced). And I'm not too sure if we will get into Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska or the Dakota's either. Depends on how much time we spend getting to that area, we have a few set weeks where we will be visiting family, so those are really the only "for sure's". Cody (my hubby) has this interesting request: we don't travel outside the country till we've seen all of our own...So the all-inclusive mexican getaway of my dreams is going to have to wait a while. Here's the general plan for our 10 WEEK TRIP!!!

For the most part we will be visiting National Parks and other various state landmarks. So I have no idea how often I will have internet service, hopefully 1/week, most likely at good old Starbucks. Anywho, as we are taking a slight detour in life and many I'm sure on the trip, this blog is taking a detour too. Just wanted to give you all a little FYI!

All this roadtrip planning has definately got me going on lots of ideas however. For one, my latest scrapbook is going to be my roadtrip journal (more updates on completing that project to come). And I've been super inspired by another blog's fascination with maps and all the decorating possibilities they have. Like this picture below:

(original idea from younghouselove.com)

And then I found all these other fun maps on Etsy! I want them both...badly....

 

(buy here)

(buy here)

Stay tuned for updates on our crazy adventure!!!

Moving Sense

 We're moving to another home again and I thought I'd post a quickie moving tip: LABEL EVERYTHING. I'm sure most of you already do this, but I am so learning the important of this right now. In an effort to be proactive and not be the crazy lady running around thowing things in boxes at the last minute, I started packing waaay early--like 3 weeks before moving. My plan was to pack things I don't use all that often. Well, I packed a really cute pair of shoes early. And now I have to live without them for a few weeks since they're already in storage. BUMMER. This did get me thinking though on how to make moving a bit less stressful. One biggie is to label all your boxes with the following: which room it belongs to (kitchen, bath, etc.), contents (pots & pans, purses--yes I have a whole box of purses...) and if its breakable (as in GLASS!). Here's what I mean for those of you visual learners like myself:

Also, in an effort to possibly use less boxes, I've been making my towels work (kitchen & bath & cleaning) by wrapping the breakables in them. You could also use placemats, tablecloths, cloth napkins, etc. for this double duty. Hopefully it works--my little helper is looking concerned...

Eyeglass Drawer Pulls

Transforming junk into something useful & non-cluttery makes me feel so green. :) Here's a fun little project I came across--DIY drawer pulls. Putting a personal touch on your furniture, whether store bought, hand-me-down or thrift find is a must. Customizing through hardware such as a drawer pull is a quick option and it's super easy, you don't even need power tools!

So for this project you will need the following (I haven't actually done this myself yet, but here is what I would gather to get it going): Several pairs of old eyeglasses, paint (in case you're good at that sort of thing), paper of varied texture & colors (tissue paper, magazine clippings, etc), mod podge (for decoupaging), scissors and krazy glue (to glue your new knob on top of the one already on the drawer).

                  

Old eyeglasses $3.99 (Goodwill)

I would look for Harry Potter style round glasses, but that's just me :)

And here's an example of all an eyeglass can be!

(curbly.com)

I really love this idea. I will certainly post photos & tips when I actually get around to doin' it!

Goodwill Glassware

I always like to stock up on a few spare vases  for when I give flowers as a gift. It's awkward to have them wondering if the vase was part of the gift too. So to avoid any confusion, I make sure to tell them "Keep the vase!". To keep this from getting pricey, I get my spare vases from the Goodwill. They're usually about $1 each, and you totally wouldn't know it! Sorry to spoil it those of you who I've given flowers too! :) These vases below though, wow, aren't they fabulous? They're $2.49 each, certainly more than I typically like to spend, but man I think they are definately worth it! Plus, there a bit smaller so I won't be spending as much money on flowers to fill them with. And it's a great way to "Make it work!" as Tim Gunn would say :)

This pitcher set below also caught my attention. Honestly, I don't care too much for the glasses, they are more suited for votive candles than drinks due to their size, but the pitcher is really striking. The whole set was listed for $7.99. Not bad, not bad at all.

So if you weren't convinced before, you certainly know now that your local Goodwill is worth a visit! Would love to hear what you guys have found as well. Happy Hunting!

Scrapbook from Scrap

I somehow convinced myself that making a scrapbook from scrap up would be a brilliant idea. I've just barely begun, but so far it's actually working out quite well for somebody who has a tendancy to become all thumbs.  Here is the beginnig of a story bound to have many chapters ;)

1. Gathered supplies: 2 pieces of Cardboard (thin, soda box type which I cut to be slightly larger than standard paper size), two fat quarters in polka dot print, black cardstock and grosgrain ribbon. I already owned these items, making this a (so far) F-R-E-E project. 

2. Whipped out my best buddy Hot Glue (a must for anyone who has nightmares of sewing machines...one day I WILL WIN!) and wrapped one fat quarter around piece of cardboard present-wrapping style.

3. Hot glued a piece of black cardstock to the inside for a stiff cover & to cover fabric edges.

4. Hot glued gross grain ribbon on the back cover so I can wrap it around to the front for decorative closure.

5. Assembled the inner workings of the scrapbook: 3-hole punched more black cardstock for pages and threw in a few plain envelopes in different sizes just for variety. I bought a package of binder rings ($3.99 for a package of 6 --which means I get to make TWO books--and then used the good old 40% coupon at Michaels).

6. And here's my book all tied up and ready to be filled with photos and memories.

I have yet to punch holes in the cover to actually make it a connected book. Truth be told, I'm reaalllyyy nervous that I'm going to mess it up, especially since I've had no stumblings in the project so far. A dreaded "oops!" moment is lurking around the corner. So now I'm on the hunt for binder ring size grommets to protect the fabric from unraveling when I work up the courage to finish this stage of book-making. Anyone done this before?

DIY Bachelorette Sash

Threw a final shabang for a good friend over the weekend and decided to make a bridal sash because she is just too classy for those obnoxious store-bought wild colored versions :) Ok, I know, they have their place but I just wanted to make sure she was feeling super glam on her final weekend of freedom. So here it is!!

1. Folded tulle to about 6 inch width, wrapped it around myself to get a length I liked.

2. Then folded the ends over and sewed it together to make a loop.

3. Grabbed a ribbon topper from Michaels ($3.99 & got to use my 40% coupon on top of that! Booyah!!)

4. I tacked this down onto the sash with a few stiches, it also helped hold together the layers of tulle.

I had a silver scripted "Love" sticker that I put in the middle to give it some shimmer. And voila for $2.42 a Classy & Glam Bachelorette Sash!

Goodwill Hunting

Whenever I'm missing garage sales and flea markets, I head to the Goodwill. It's a garage sale everyday there! Here are some of the things I came across on my latest visit.

This mug was 99 cents. Give it a good scrub for your morning wake-up brew or use it to hold your chocolate covered espresso beans!

Fo $1.99, this Dumbo record would make very sweet nursery art.

Display your photos & cards perfectly in this wire heart rack for $2.49.  I can imagine this with magnet stips to organize all that fridge door art!

Told ya--there's some great stuff at the Goodwill! Go check yours out ASAP. Happy hunting!

DIY: Sugar Baby Scrub

I cherish and savor body scrubs. They leave you feeling so luxurious. But they can also get pricey-quick! So I started hunting around to see what it takes to make one of my own. I found a great jumping off point at petitelefant.com . Basically you eye-ball mixing sugar (either brown, white or a mix of both) with vegetable oil. The End. Nice huh? And since I'm not the type to follow directions, it was perfect for me! So here's my go at it:

1) Pour sugar into one of your stashed recycled jars. I found it easiest to stir in the oil with a half-full jar of sugar to start.

(Lookit how well that vinegar soak strips the stickers)

I cut a hole in the bottom of a coffee filter to make a funnel, or you can use a measuring cup with a pour spout to make sure all the sugar gets in the jar and not on your counter.

2.  Pour in a good amount of oil. I was nervous about it becoming too oily, but the sugar soaks up a considerable amount, so be generous.  You can also let the oil sit and work it's way down on it's own a bit before stirring.

And here's a batch almost all ready to go! I also added in a bit of vanilla for a extra enjoyment. There are plenty of oils & fragrances that can be added to this basic mix. Just take a trip to a natural foods or crafts store and you will have plenty of options to choose from.

3. Doll it up!

I spraypainted the lid (you could also cover with fabric or pretty paper) and hot glued ribbon and a label. I'm so proud of my sugar baby. This would be an awesome gift or a great addition to a gift basket. Or a fun activity at a shower, just use smaller jars to keep it short & sweet ;) Get it? Lame, I know. But seriously, I would love to receive this and I'm going to be giving it for Mother's Day this year. Anyone made scrubs before?  Oh and salt scrubs...that'll be next!





My Bleach Detox

So this isn't going to be a terribly exciting post for you all..but here goes it. Ever been product stalked? Kind of like when you see your dream car/truck everywhere you go? For me it's those beautiful 4-Runners, although I'm starting to develop a soft spot for Jeeps...For a while now I've been happening to run across articles and headlines on using eco-friendly cleaning products, specifically home-made vinegar solutions. I absoutely CAN NOT function if my house isn't clean. I was pretty hesitant to stray from my tried and true bleach & hot water combo. I definately push the cleaning thing to an extreme, as in I like my house to be sterile, not just clean. Bleach is my go to (avoid microbiology if you can--it will change you). Knowing I'm a bit too dependant on it, coupled with spending the weekend helping a friend move and clean like crazy, I feel like I need a detox.  So I decided to give the vinegar a fair chance. But before I went totally wild and made too many concoctions, I decided to start small.

Trial 1: vinegar & hot water mopping session.  There are various ratios out there for a vinegar mopping solution, I used a 1 cup to 2 gallon guesstimation. Here's my before pic...and yes I do mop once a week--this is just what happens when you have a drooly dog and hard working hubby.

So it doesn't look so bad in the pic...but just trust me, the floor was not looking too pretty. Now for the after shot, again unfortunately it's not too telling. But I wasn't all that impressed with the vinegar. I went I back over the floor afterwards with a rough towel Cinderella style and liked my results better. Maybe I just need a more fibrous (is that a word?) mop.

Any of you have experience with using vinegar to clean? I did find out it works well to remove sticky residue on bottles (from labels of jam & wine for my ever growing collection).  And it works great with hot water to clean out the coffee maker too. Tips & experience welcome!

IKEA

Totally love taking field trips to Ikea, there is so much eye candy and they have great soft serve for a $1! Whoooopie!! And it's fun to sing this song from a very goofy movie I used to watch, Rocketman! Here it is, in case you need a refresher....(it'd be best to just watch the whole movie however)

Didja catch "IKEA" in there? Well now you get my connection with this song and store. So now to the important stuff--IKEA HAS NEW STUFF! They actually have new stuff like all-the-time (which feeds my addiction to visiting the place) but I just recently found some new stuff that I'm drooling over. Actually, if I were to buy them my dog would be the one drooling all over them with his big old boxer lips/jowels/whatever you wanna call them. So here we go--these are a few favorite things (at this exact moment, subject to change).

1. Emelina Ros Duvet starting at $49.99



2. Lindo Beige cover for Karlstad Series!!!



3. Gronska Blom Fabric $3.99/yard (and there's Solbrand and Sockerart decor items to match!)

4. Lacko Chair (sold in grey too) $29.99

5. Solbrand Tablecloth Holders (magnetic!!) $3.99/4-pack



6. Skurar Plant Pot $3.99



7. Rosmarie Fabric $8.99/yard



8. Lanstalle candle lantern $6.99



9. Sockerart Vase/Pitcher $7.99



10. Hosto Buckets $6.99 each



Now I realize this is a long list of favorites, be happy you weren't actually, physically shopping with me! It'd be even longer had we been in the store with all the glorious staged rooms with new & 'old faithfuls' to gaze upon. So tell me, what's catching your fancy these days?