Items of the Day...

Tire Belt by rebicyclist

Fox Clutch by tsurubride

Painting by retrowhale

Upcycled: From Old and Smelly, to Nice and Fresh!

I really didnt want to spend a bunch of money on ice skates because you only wear them about once a year, but really want to go this winter! So I went on ebay and bought a couple pairs this picture is my husbands (his are a little more vintage than mine). I bought them for Under $20 including shipping which i think is pretty good! They just needed a little love, cleaning, shoe polish and shoelaces!

Recycling MY fashion on Ebay

I used to have a shopping addiction :) 

Recycling some of my items through Ebay!

My Ebay Items

Today Only Free Eco-Tote from Walgreens

In celebration of Earth Day, get a free tote bag with any purchase at Walgreens. I didn't need a coupon, but some websites say you need one, so heres the coupon just incase!

What Did you Do with That...? Plastic and Yarn!

What do you get when you combine the words Plastic & Yarn?
You get the word Plarn.
Plarn is made by cutting strips of plastic bags that are turned into a "Yarn."

This beautiful bag was crocheted using white and blue plastic grocery bags and light blue acrylic yarn for extra strength.Tight stitches add to the strength and durability, leaving "no holes" that your change could fall through.It's lightweight and versatile enough to use for the store or as a purse, the beach, for the library, or anything else you can think of.
It has a large flap closure and I added a handy front pocket that is perfect to keep your cell phone , grocery list or coupons in.

Made by Debs Crochet

Thank you Deb for you wonderful creation!

Do you want to submit your creation to:

"What Did You DO with that...?"

Read Here!

Indie and Eco Friendly Gift Guide

Gift Ideas From Wonderful Shops!

Top Left: Bangles $10 (made from grocery bags) by Arny Designs,

Top Right: Eco-Friendly Bamboo Dish Cloth/Exfoliating Wash Cloth $6 by Sweet Memories Quilts

Middle Left: Recycled Magazine Bead Necklace $40 by Zendik Arts,

Middle Right: Chapel Windows UniqueHandmade Gourd Art Lampshade $219 by Studio Tempera

Bottom Left: Vino Zinnia recycled Collage Print $23 by artandphilanthropy,

Bottom Right: SPOTTED BIRD - TURQUOISE - Recycled Felt applique pillow $49 by Alexandra Ferguson

Reducing harmful Items in Your home...

Is that okay to eat out of? Why does that smell?

Just a few quick tips I read up on a few items that we might want to concider reading more carefully or replacing in the future. 

Microwaving in plastic

This could be harmful if the container is not marked "microwave safe". Just check the bottom, if it does not say microwave safe, it could leak toxins into your meal, and are less likely to be recyclable.

Fluorescent Bulb Safety 

An Etsy user TheBlueKraken brought to my attention some ideas she wanted to add to my blog. First about Replacing your lightbulbs with fluorescent ones. "There are huge dangers to fluorescent bulbs. they are full of mercury vapor and if you break one its very dangerous. you also cannot throw them in the trash. the mercury will go to a land fill and eventually ground water. i will only use them in fixtures that need colder bulbs and i do not throw them away if they stop working."

I looked it up and IKEA recycles fluorescent bulbs, if you dont live by an IKEA, read this article to mail it in by ecogeek.

Green Cleaning Products

Buy products labeled non-toxic, biodegradable, all-natural, and those that contain plant-based ingredients. Look for Multi-Purpose Products – Many multi-purpose cleaners are just as effective as the specialty cleaners. For instance, white vinegar can be used to clean floors, glass surfaces, coffee pots, and copper products. It is also effective at removing some kinds of stains. I just went to the grocery store last week, and was looking for toilet bowl cleaner, they had a One day promotion on their new Green Toilet bowl Cleaner, it was as cheap as the lowest priced Clorox Brand Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Check out your grocery store for local promotions.

Here are some RECIPES to make your own Green household cleaning products.

Teflon Pan alternatives

Nonstick cookware is made with a substance that’s a probable carcinogen. But the biggest threat, experts say, is all the air and water pollution caused by the factories that make the chemical. So copper or aluminum are the more eco-friendly options, but you don't have to throw away your pans if you already have them until they are scratched. 

Heres some alternatives when going shopping for new pots and pans:

• Cuisinart Greenware™ Eco-Friendly Non-Stick 10-Piece Cookware Set

• Starfrit Eco Friendly Cookware

• Green Pan Cookware

Can't live without dry cleaning?

I know I can't afford to dry clean except for special occasion dresses and things, but I know some family members who dry clean often, and would never even think of it as a harm to the environment. Although there isn't conclusive research, a large amount of dry cleaners use a chemical that has been linked to reproductive damage and cancer. Also the plastic bags are a waist, and take a lot of energy to produce. Try asking for NO plastic next time, or letting your clothes air out for about an hour after you bring them home, preferrably outside. Read this article for more info on dry cleaning alternatives.

Read the label. 

Read labels and look for signal words — DANGER, POISON, WARNING, CAUTION — that indicate the level of hazard. Products labeled DANGER or POISON are most hazardous. Pay attention to other messages on the label such as “causes burns on contact,” “vapors harmful,” or “extremely flammable.” Learn to recognize these phrases and take them seriously.

Got something to add? please email me, or add it in the comment section, I am sure our readers would surely appreciate it!

Recycled and Upcycled

Electronic Guitar Pick by The Blue Kraken

Camera Lense bracelet by Focal Length Designs

Recycled Boylan's Soda Bottle Glasses by YAVA Glass

Recycled Bottle Top Necklace by Minty Fresh Fusions

B.Y.O.B. - Bring Your Own Bag

Gosh I swear, when I am finished unloading groceries, I have about 100 of those plastic grocery bags, and I just keep stuffing them into the cabinet. 

Well For this weeks Grocery Shopping, I took all those bags and a very large eco-friendly bag to the Grocery Store. I was the annoying customer who asked to re-use my bags, but hey, too bad man!

I got to the doors, and realized theres a huge bin for old plastic bags, oops! ha ha, next time! But I was relieved to see this. So next time I will bring those plastic bags and dump them in the bin! I am going to try to get at least one new grocery tote whenever I go shopping. I found a huge one at Joann Fabrics for $1 buck.

Sea of Plastic Bags:

Anyway, Why should we 

Re-use, Recycle or say No to plastic bags?

• Millions of dollars are spent each year dumping plastic bags into landfills, millions are also spent annually in liter clean up, Cities and recyclers spend enormous amounts removing plastic bags from other recyclable materials at the facility; plastic bags jam machinery and add to the manual labor costs of recycling. They can kill animals, plants... etc. etc. etc.

What are Fashionable Alternatives to plastic bags?

Here are a couple shops that have some awesome eco-friendly FASHIONABLE re-usable Grocery and everyday totes!

Kim Quilts: Super Durable up-cycled plastic bags!

zJayne: Adorable Tee-shirt Bags

Fickle Faerie: Reusable Produce bags:

Also, Read this awesome blog from Etsy Labs to make your OWN Eco-Friendly Bags, by fusing together old plastic bags! It looks awesome! I am going to try it.

Etsy Labs Bag, For Article Click Here:

Tip for the day : Recycle Fashion!

I am selling a few items on ebay, that i barely every used or still have tags on them. I already gave 6 bags of clothes to salvation army and kept the gently used items for EBAY or RESALE.  

A friend of mine brought her clothes to "The Buffalo Exchange" and made $60 dollars from there, and used some of it, to buy herself some used jean shorts! So cute! Buffalo Exchange is unique because clothing and accessories are bought, sold and traded directly with store customers. Bring in your former favorites for trade or cash on the spot! They are a company that works to protect the environment by reusing and recycling clothing.

Photo From the Buffalo Exchange Website:

Another Shop is called: "Crossroads Trading Co."

The purpose of Crossroads' stores is to offer a unique retail experience where shoppers can buy top-quality recycled and new fashion as well as receive cash or trade credit for items they sell to the store. Unlike at a consignment shop, there is no waiting to get paid at Crossroads. You receive your cash or trade immediately, before you leave the store. When you trade you get 50% of the price they sell the item for in the store. They give you a trade certificate that you can use to purchase any item at any of our Crossroads locations.

Photos from Crossroads Website:



here are My Ebay Items:

My Ebay Link

If you know of other good resources, stores, and places to recycle fashion, please make a comment, so you can share them with everyone reading!