Thank you, thank you very much

My friends recently put on the sweetest baby shower for my growing family.  Boys were invited, and they even had a good time!  I wanted to thank my loved ones with hand made cards, and committed to only using what I had in my house.  I used cardboard from the box my new fancy stroller came in, tissue paper from one of my adorable presents, and a couple of other familiar things I had lying around.

And this was the outcome!

I think creativity can really flourish when you are limited with your resources.  We're looking forward to many fun impromptu art projects with our little one.

Food for Thought

Do you think you could commit to shifting $1,000 you already spend to eco friendly goods?  It's actually not that hard.  For ideas on how to shift that cash, and to join other women in an effort to be "one in a million", check out this link on the Big Green Purse website.

According to the website "if a million women intentionally shift at least $1,000 of their existing budget to environmentally-friendly products, we can have a noticeable one billion dollar impact in the marketplace."

I found all this info in this article on Shine from Yahoo's website.  It's all about a gal who took the "One in a Million" challenge, and actually ended up saving more than $10,000!

Talk about some GREEN

Marmol Radziner, way cool

When you get a free moment during this hectic summer, you should check out the architectural firm Marmol Radziner.  There are so many beautiful images on their website that I could have gone on all day, but here are a couple of pics just to get you interested:

They beautifully and seamlessly integrate the building and interior with its natural outdoor landscaping, and I am a huge fan of their philosophy on the materials:


"We believe a good building becomes richer with the passage of time. Whereas many contemporary buildings are in tatters after ten years, historic buildings were constructed to absorb the stories of a hundred years. Architecture that is built to last minimizes the consumption of resources. The use of indigenous materials creates a connection between the architecture and the site. Natural materials such as stone, concrete, and wood will improve with age."  


And if all this didn't make me happy enough, they also take leftover scraps from their buildings and make really cool, simple, and modern jewelry. 

Brings a smile to my little face.

Another Flor Sale....and another day to celebrate the environment!

Why didn't I think of that?

It's paper you can plant to grow your own wildflowers!  What a fun idea for invitations, showers, thank you's, whatever your green thumb desires!  This company has very cute cards that have already been designed for you, or you can purchase blank paper and envelopes and print out your own.  Here are some examples of how pretty this paper turns out.

 

 

Dress to Impress

Ugh.  What a lazy week.  Does anyone else ever have those?  Doesn't it just make you want to get off your bum, get all gussied up, and paint the town red?  Maybe I could wear one of these upcycled dresses!

Newspapers (in case you get bored and need something to read)

Plastic bags & straws (you can be a sassy bag lady)

Woven Cassette Tape (for all those old En Vogue cassette singles)

Fabric & Button Remnants (cute and unexpected)

Used Zippers (I'm not sure if this is very easy or very hard to get out of)

Old Umbrella Fabric (perfect for rainy days)

Necktie Dress (made from all those father's day ties your husband never wears)

Mother's Day Rap

Don't worry, I'm not going to bust out any rhymes.  I just wanted to share a fun idea for wrapping paper.

1.) Grab an old book sitting around your house that you know you will never read, or maybe even pick one up at your next thrift outing.  Rip out some pages.  Let's hope my high-school English teaching mother will not disown me for ripping up a book to wrap her mom's day present in....

2.) Grab a sewing machine, and some thread.  I used a fun blue/green, but you can use whatever color you wish.  Switch that thread to zig zag, and start sewing away.  Start with just two sheets at a time, and then start sewing your bunches of two together.  Hand sewing would work as well if you don't have a machine.  I just have a feeling it would take a while longer.

3.) Keep on combining pages until you have the size wrapping paper needed for your present.  I didn't bother back stitching or trimming the excess string.  I liked the look of having a few strings wiggling around.

4.)  Now the fun part.  You get to use your imagination!  You can draw a picture, paint, or even try stenciling like I did.  I heard about these awesome stencil books from my blogging friend at sabbespot.  They are WONDERFUL and help make some really easy, fun, quick, and inexpensive art.

 

5.)  I chose this specific stencil because it looked like a mama and a baby deer.  Too cute!

6.) And here is the finished product!

Note:

• I used spray paint because I thought it would be quicker, but it did get a little messy outside.  I like the grungy look it created, but I'm thinking next time I'll use a small roller and acrylic paint.
• To add a bit of color and embellishment, and I suppose to state the obvious, I wrote "Mom" with a heart in hot pink conte crayon.

I had so much fun with this project because it involved all of my favorite things:  sewing, art, and my mom!  Can't wait to make more for Christmas.