New Holiday Ornament/Pendants

Holiday Ornament or Glass Tile Pendant

Looking for the perfect gift for Christmas? 

Want to decorate with a cool modern ornament?

Ready to express your Christmas style?

This ornament/pendant is perfect for you! 

Imagine it hanging from your Christmas Tree, showing your great taste and style. 

Or cut off the ribbon and put it on a cord or chain to wear! So cute and quirky!

Gift - ready, it comes in a sweet little cotton bag that was made in the U.S.A.

Details:

- Cool Modern Ornament, featuring a modern images and bright colors
- The image is preserved under a rounded glass tile, which is 7/8" square. 
- It comes as pictured handing from lace. If you prefer, you can cut off the lace and use the pendant as a pendant instead! 

To purchase any of these ornament/pendants, click here to go to my Etsy Shop.

This Ornament/Pendant is my original photography of the Star Barn.

10 Ways to Recycle and Reuse Newspaper

This Sunday - April 22, 2012 - is the 42nd Earth Day!

As you know, I am a huge supporter of trying to preserve the earth with little steps that you can take each day.  And I love making things with items that were originally destined for the trash!

Today, I bring you 10 Ways to Reuse Newspaper!

First of all, you can eliminate the need to do anything with newspaper by getting your news online!  However, I know that sometimes you just want the physical paper in your hands. 

If you must subscribe, here are some things to do with your newspaper when you're done reading it:

1.  Make a newspaper flower!  It will never wilt!

2.  Make cute decorations!  I made hearts for Valentine's Day, but you can make any shape you like!

3.  This was originally another Valentine's Day project for me, but you can make any shape you want with this great tutorial.  It basically transforms newspaper into clay.

4.   More newspaper flowers!  These were at Ripley's Believe it or Not in Atlantic Ciy, NJ!

5.  Crumpled up newspapers are great for absorbing odors.  Put them in coolers when you are storing them to keep them fresh!  Put in luggage when you are storing it.  Or stuff them in your sweaty sneakers to absorb the moisture and odor.

6.  Line your veggie draws in your frig with it.  Again, it absorbs the moisture and smells.

7.  Wrapping paper!  Look at that amazing bow on top, too!  I found how to do this on Adelle.com.au

8.  Paper Hat

9.  Flower Pot!  Bonus:  you can put the pot right into the ground!

10.  Use around the house:  messy cleanup, line pet cages, line kitty litter (or even use as kitty litter in a pinch!), wash windows and line trash cans.

Green Handmade Holidays

Christmas is only 53 days away!

In years past I have made many of my gifts.  This year, I have every intention to do so again.  I have memories (nightmares?) in the past of staying up late still sewing and finishing items on Christmas Eve.  I don’t want that to happen again.  So, although the organized part of me really thinks I blew it already and am running late – comparably, there’s still plenty of time to make great eco-friendly gifts!

And there is certainly plenty of time to support your local artisans this holiday seasons.  Artisans provide one-of-a-kind personal gifts that you can’t get elsewhere!  As a customer told me on Friday, I’m helping to stimulate the local economy.  I was so happy to have someone so precisely get it.

Local craft shows are plentiful this time of year and a great way to spend a day and support local artisans.  You can also support local businesses or shop on Etsy (you can get great handmade items from all over the world, or use the shop local feature on Etsy to keep it close to home.)  For artisans who specialize in turning trash into amazing treasures, search for the Trashion Team on Etsy (trashionteam).  For folks in Pennsylvania, search for the Handmade in PA Etsy Team  (teamhip).

As I search the web for things to make for my friends and family for holiday gifts and look for tips for a greener holiday, I’ll share ideas here.  Of course, I’ll have to keep some of what I’m making a secret until after Christmas!

Happy Green Handmade Holidays!

Over the next 2 months – or rather, 53 days – I’ll be sharing some ideas to make your holidays green and handmade!  We’ll decorate, make presents, wrap and decoration our presents and plan a green holiday celebration!

Green Handmade Holiday Tip:

Here’s a tip from me to get started on your Green Handmade Holiday:  I never use patterns or tutorials exactly as is.  You get the idea from the tutorial or pattern, or possibly the technique and run with it to make it your own.  That is what makes giving handmade so great!  Usually you can find a way to make a tutorial more eco-friendly.  You can use old clothes instead of any fabric, use organic materials, use recycled felt, etc.