kids art as gift wrap

My kids love to create and I am always looking for new ways to use their artwork instead of tossing it.  Our painting sessions on the easel create some pretty large masterpieces so, I started saving them to use for gift wrap!  I think its a fun way to show off their creativity while being resourceful. Family members, teachers, artists or just about anyone would enjoy this twist on traditional gift wrapping.

earth love: recycled cardboard robots

In celebration of Earth Day we made recycled cardboard robots!

Choose your box from recycled cereal and pasta boxes for the robot body. Turn the boxes inside out and tape or glue together. This way you have a better decorating surface.

Attach arms and legs from recycled toilet paper rolls with glue (we used a hot glue gun).

Cut out egg carton cups for the eyes and nose and glue.

Finally, PAINT! Oh, what fun.

I was inspired by the blog post Recycled Robot Monsters by the totally talented Alisa Burke.

earth love: recycled organizer

I had yet to reuse cardboard grocery containers into something new ... until now :) To kick off the weekend I showed the earth a little love by recycling magazine pages and a cardboard container into a recycled organizer for my desk.

I have had this issue of Deliver magazine sitting around in my "save for a project" bin for years. This issue is all about thinking green, the ideas and graphics inside were worth holding onto. The cover is such fun I knew I would want to use it for something one day. My kids are kinda hooked on peanut butter crackers right now and I just realized that it is the perfect size and shape to organize all the little tidbits around the house, office and studio ... ahh organizing, one of my other favorite pastimes ... this project was a match made in heaven!

Simply cut out the magazine pages you would like to use. Wrap the cardboard container in the paper and use a glue stick or double sided tape to adhere. Viola! A neat little organizing basket.

happy earth day!

Happy Earth Day!

On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day was held. People all over the country made promises to help the environment. Everyone got involved and since then, Earth Day has spread all over the planet. This year is Earth days 40th anniversary!

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ~ Native American Proverb

We are laying low tonight, I have a couple of earth love books to read to the boys and we'll take a little outdoor nature walk and may be a good night to finally watch Food, Inc. Please give mother Earth a little love today and always.

homemade cleaners

I switched to homemade cleaners a few weeks ago. All the recipes I have tried include vinegar so, my home smells of vinegar for a bit while cleaning but, the smell dissipates once it dries. You could probably add some essential oils to your cleaner to help with the smell if it bothers you.

Benefits of Cleaning with Vinegar

• inexpensive
• no harsh chemicals
  
• effective sanitizer (kills viruses, germs, bacteria and mold)
• effective stain remover
• safe for most surfaces

Here are the recipes I've started using:

All Purpose Cleaner
Use to clean countertops, oven range and bathroom surfaces

Mix in a spray bottle:
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
a few drops of mild dishwashing soap

Glass Cleaner
Using rubbing alcohol and white vinegar together makes a quickly evaporating spray glass and mirror cleaner that competes with store brands.

Mix in a spray bottle:
1 cup water
1 cup rubbing alcohol (not non-toxic)
1 tbsp white vinegar

Alternatively mix equal parts:
water
white vinegar
1/2 tbsp mild dishwashing liquid

Furniture Polish
Dab a rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store.

Mix in a glass jar:
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice

Laminate Floor Cleaner

Mix in a spray bottle equal parts:
water
white vinegar
rubbing alcohol (optional-not non-toxic)
a few drops of mild dishwashing soap

Note: Use the same precautions as with store-bought cleaners - keep them out of reach of children and pets. Make sure to label your cleaners. Rubbing alcohol is toxic in large quantities when inhaled or ingested.

Do you have any homemade cleaner recipes you love?

tread lightly

In anticipation of Earth Day 2009, Threadless (graphic t-shirts designed by the community) had a green t-shirt challenge. The challenge was to create a design based on the concept of thinking GREEN! Is it a cleaner environment? Sustainable resources? Renewable energy? Global responsibility? All of the above? Or maybe some other ideas…

I entered my first ever graphic contest with the design above. It was not the winner (not even close) but, it was a nice break from the everyday design I do. It was fun to think on and create. In total there were 461 submissions and some really stellar designs! I was blown away at some the artwork submitted. Check out the designs from the Threadless Loves Green challenge.

Here is my submission and some of my favorites:

happy earth day

mini red iceberg lettuce from a local farmer

golden pecan pieces from a local pecan farm

After work, Bert & I picked up the boys and headed to downtown Phoenix to wander through the Downtown Phoenix Public Market. Every Saturday and Wednesday, at the corners of Central Ave. and McKinley, a lot in the middle of the city becomes a marketplace for the good of local shoppers and their desire for real local food. We sampled some wonderful treats, saw some beautiful handmade wares and purchased some local food; mini red iceberg lettuce picked right from the ground, cilantro, chopped pecans and homemade whole wheat tortillas (that Ethan sampled 3x's - he LOVES plain tortillas).

The Market just celebrated its 4th anniversary, and announced the plans to open a local grocery store on the same property. The store has a green light from the city, hopes to open by June, and will accommodate shoppers six days a week. How cool!

After we returned home and the kids had their baths. We read a book together about Earth Day that I picked up at the library. Earth Day Birthday (Sharing Nature With Children Book) by Pattie Schnetzler. It is a sing-along book that honors the animals, the environment, and sung to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas". The book shows 12 North American species in their natural habitats. I read it twice, first time as a sing-along and second time just reading the first part of the rhyme. I enjoyed the second reading better as it left room for the kids to discuss the habitat of the animals and engage with the images.

Earth Day began on April 22, 1970 but, I honestly think this is the first year I have ever celebrated. This is the first of many days our family will take time to celebrate and honor our precious mother Earth!

earth day sale

Today at Soft Flex Company, we have a one day only sale to celebrate Earth Day. Enter coupon code EARTH until tonight at midnight PT to get 20% off our new Trios Extreme eco-friendly beading wire. Trios Extreme is a set of (3) 10ft spools of .019 diameter beading wire in the colors 24k gold, 925 sterling silver and champagne. The colors of this set are really beautiful and the wire is free of heavy metals, making Soft Flex Extreme wire the most eco-friendly choice in beading wire.

kids art: decoupage fun!

I have been thinking about what to do to spruce up the kids playroom table for awhile. It's a great little table we got at IKEA but the top of the table has seen better days. It needed a little pick me up. Decoupage to the rescue! I'm not sure if I ever decoupaged before. I feel like I must have but, cannot recall. So, I looked online for some guidance and found out how to decoupage at about.com. I also stumbled upon the awesome Etsy shop Bombus, who is saving the planet through decoupage! Really neat stuff. I thought a map, atlas or music sheets were all neat ideas to put in the kid's room. I was getting ready to print some pages out and then it hit me. If I print pages I will lose a perfect opportunity to do my part and help reduce waste. So, the hunt began - what did I have in the house that would look nice and utilize paper we already have.

Ah-ha! I have a stack of wonderful preschool projects Ethan has done all sitting in a draw. I can display his work proudly, recycle paper and make a beautiful piece of art - it's a trifecta!

Ethan & Hudson chose some artwork, I cut and glued down the papers. Ethan was out for his day with Nannie by this time so, Hudson happily helped me apply the glue medium.

Just a few more coats of glue!

TaDa!

The boys have a fun new playroom table created with Ethan's school work and Hudson's help!

eco-friendly beading wire

We at Soft Flex Company are thrilled to present the world's first eco-friendly beading wire! Go Green! Go Extreme! The new Soft Flex® Extreme™ Flex Wire is free of heavy metals and can be recycled. We love this planet and want to leave it a better place for our children and future generations of beaders. There has been a lot of buzz about our new wire lines and we are so very thankful for the support. Soft Flex® Company supports reducing, reusing and recycling. Learn more about Soft Flex Company's green practices. We are delighted to lead wire manufacturers to think and rethink how they can go "green" and are happy to be the leader in a cause that matters so much.

i heart telecommuting

This week at work has been all about going green! Soft Flex Company has explored the green work environment for some time but, we have never formally expressed these practices to each other or to our customers. The New Year presented the perfect time to discuss what we do as a company and individuals to tread lightly on this wonderful planet. Check out Soft Flex Company's green practices.

Bert & I telecommute for Soft Flex Company, as do 1/3 of the Soft Flex staff. This means a strong reduction in vehicle emissions and fuel consumption as we are not adding to the congestion on the road. Our home-based office is very close to being paperless as the majority of our work is performed online. We, as home-based employees, also add to the conservation aspect by not packing lunches or eating out, waste incurred here includes: food containers, plastic baggies, cups, plastic eating utensils, and paper waste, such as napkins. It feels great working from home for many reasons and having the additional bonus of helping our environment makes it all the more merrier.

I hope telecommuting gains more momentum for companies in the future. Many people ask how do we get any work done, but really how can we not? Bert & I still have deadlines and goals to meet. I enjoy having the freedom to plan my day and the trust to be able to work unsupervised. The trust given to you to be able to work on your own accord is enough to motivate me. The discipline needed to work from home may seem like a lot but, ultimately you have things to get things done. If you do them, they aren't going away so; you might as well get to work! I honestly wouldn't want to jeopardize my position with the company by not completing the tasks asked of me. Why would I want to "slack off" and get laid off when working from home is a gift in and of itself that I don't want to take for granted.

Sure, there are some downsides - of course there is. I do not get out much (if at all some days). I rarely meet my co-workers face to face. I have to dedicate a portion of my home to "work" and essentially never leave work. And, I sometimes feel like my design skills get stale because I do not have any design colleagues sitting next to me to bounce ideas off of and learn from. However, all these things can be overcome.

• Instead of getting outdoor time to and from work, I need to take some time outside after work or open my windows!
  
• Instead of making friends to go out with from work, I have to get involved in social groups with people that have similar interests (which means my friendships may be longer lasting as they are people I have more in common with then just were we work).
• I have purchased an armoire that can be closed when the work day is done and I have to shut down my computer. This prevents me from feeling like I have to sit at my desk off hours.
  
• And, I have to frequent design sites and blogs to work on tutorials (my 2009 goal) to keep ideas fresh and my skills sharp!

I love working from home and I love that Soft Flex Company has been open to telecommuting for over 5 years. And, I really love that this arrangement also helps out our environment in big ways.