{Eco Tutorials} Summer Accessories – Make a Necktie Cuff Bracelet

April 29, 2012 by LindaEve
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This tutorial assumes a basic knowledge of hand-sewing and comes with a serious caution – be super careful with the box cutter! Another caution – if you value your fabric-cutting scissor, do not use it to cut plastic – it will dull the blades. When working with neckties (one of my favorite materials to repurpose), [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Business Cards

April 4, 2012 by fashiongreentbags
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Laura, of Prairie Peasant, has generously shared her tutorial for making business cards in a most eco-friendly way. Reusing papers from other sources, she saves resources with her  great recycling project! In an effort to keep my business green, I make my own business cards. The focus of my business is products that use recycled [...]

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{Eco-Tutorials} Make Your Own Fabric Labels

April 1, 2012 by Myra @ HerbanLuxe
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As you all know, Karen, the fearless EcoEtsy team leader, was invited to speak at Martha Stewart’s annual event Dreamers into Doers Conference on March 6th (read all about it here). Last weekend, Linda Eve wrote an awesome post where she shared how the EcoEtsy team put on their seamstress hats to create 100 eco-friendly lunch totes [...]

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{Eco Tutorials} Cloth Lunch Bag and Utensil Pouch

March 18, 2012 by LindaEve
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If you read last Sunday’s post, you already know that Eco Etsy’s indomitable co-captain, Karen Lee, had quite an adventure on 6 March, giving her presentation on “How to Green Your Business and Save Money” at Martha Stewart’s Dreamer Into Doers event. Nice going Karen – we know you rocked the show! A few of [...]

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How to Make Your Own Nighttime Pull-Ups or Training Pants {Eco-Tutorial}

March 7, 2012 by fashiongreentbags
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This tutorial was provided by Tiffany of Picnic Basket Crafts.  She’s very cleverly figured out how to make pull-ups or training pants.  I wish I had had this tutorial when my children were young. I don’t believe my 24 and 21 year-olds would appreciate them these days. MAYBE one day they will make them for [...]

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{Eco Tutorials} Recycle It! Things To Do With Egg Cartons

February 26, 2012 by Myra @ HerbanLuxe
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Back in early January, Karen of EcoKaren challenged her readers to one-month of de-cluttering, something she called the De-clutter 2012 Challenge.  Being the encourage-able person that I am, I took on the challenge.  However, after signing on I felt a pang of pain in my chest as I looked around my house and realized that my studio had [...]

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{Green Living} Waging War on Ants

February 22, 2012 by lorigami
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As much as I hate freezing temperatures and blustery weather, the one good thing that usually comes out of a cold winter is fewer bugs. However, this year we’ve barely gotten a token blast below the freeze mark and I’m pretty sure I can hear the ants chuckling about their impending world domination. The giant [...]

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{Eco-Tutorials} DIY Scratch-off Tickets

February 12, 2012 by Myra @ HerbanLuxe
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Have you ever wanted to offer discount codes in a fun way? Or needed a cool promotion for your event booth? Scratch-off ticket may be the answer. Scratch-off tickets can be a highly effective promotional tool for your shop and they are so easy to make.  I’ve ran a little experiment during a recent event by [...]

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{Green Living} 10 Surprising Uses For Baking Soda

February 8, 2012 by kanelstrand
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Baking soda can be used in all spheres of life, from treating different disease to extinguishing fires. Its universal qualities as well as the fact that it can replace dangerous environmental pollutants we use on a daily basis make it my all time favorite and I hope yours too!

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{Eco-Tutorial} The Itch-Free Shrunken Wooly Sweater Hat

January 28, 2012 by LindaEve
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Have you ever mistakenly tossed a wool sweater in the wash and wept over its transformation into something that might fit a 6-year-old child? I have. More than once. I recently came across a great remedy for the shrunken sweater blues - a wonderfully informative crafting video by Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood of craftsanity.com.  Jennifer presents super-simple instructions for making [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Seasonal Eating: Caramelized Fennel Pizza

January 4, 2012 by Pierogi Picnic
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The New Year is here and with it come a mound of goals, resolutions, and if you’re anywhere north of Alabama, snow. To address our need for warm comfort food and sustainable seasonal eating I am sharing my favorite recipe of the month: Caramelized Fennel Pizza. Follow the directions below and you’ll be mmmming and [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} How to Make a Coupon Wallet Without Sewing Using a Reusable Grocery Bag

December 28, 2011 by ecokaren
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If you haven’t heard yet, Hawaii County is working  to ban plastic bags from grocery stores, as Seattle and so many other cities and countries also have. Banning single use grocery plastic bags means saving marine lives and not being as petroleum dependent for producing these wasteful plastic garbage. It also means that we will be [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Fudge Brownies

December 14, 2011 by antiquetochic
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Fudgy brownies; delicious delights I never thought I’d be able to thoroughly enjoy again. With a gluten free diet, or any diet for that matter, treats are hard to come by, but yummy treats are even harder to find. These brownies are so good I had 3 right out of the oven as you can [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} DIY Bibliophile Wreaths

November 30, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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The holidays are almost here – and what will you be doing to keep your celebrations green? Will you be dusting off those hand-me-down ornaments? Pulling in your potted spruce? Looking to handmade indie businesses for your shopping needs? If so – it sounds like you’re already on a roll planning for the season sustainably. [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial}} Dressing the Table: Gourd Lanterns

November 21, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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One of my favorite holidays is in a few days – Thanksgiving! And with it come the joys of family, food, and reflecting on the blessings of the past year. No doubt cooking up protein, cranberries and dressing is a top focus – but what about some eco-friendly table dressing?! To get you thinking about how [...]

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{Eco-Tutorials} Sunflower Seed Butter

November 9, 2011 by antiquetochic

After finding out many of my allergies were common, I had to figure out other ways to enjoy my favorite foods by substituting. I love peanut butter and jelly, I mean who doesn’t? Since I’m allergic to tree nuts and peanuts as many are I had to find an alternative spread to pair with my [...]

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{Business Tips} Get Local with Holiday Craft Fairs (bonus Recycled Newspaper ToteTutorial)

November 4, 2011 by Myra @ HerbanLuxe
Craft Fair

Can you believe that Christmas is only 7 weeks away? Let me repeat – CHRISTMAS IN ONLY 7 WEEKS AWAY! Now that I’ve planted the seed and a sense of urgency into your brain {as if you weren’t already stressing over it}, let’s talk Holiday Craft Fairs.  Craft Fairs are a great way to gain [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Oven Roasted Veggies

October 26, 2011 by antiquetochic

I know there’s no enticing photo this week, but I promise one next week. This recipe has actually become my mom’s favorite way to eat veggies especially broccoli. Ingredients: your favorite veggies (can be frozen or thawed) sea salt pepper garlic powder oil (I use sunflower) Preparation: Cut veggies in bite size pieces and arrange [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Falling for Fall: Leaf Garland

October 19, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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There’s something that soothes the senses about autumn. The cooling temperatures, cozy fashions, stunning colors and earthy smells make you wish this transient season would never come to an end. Though we can’t prolong these beautiful fall days – we can bring a touch of them indoors with some foraging and clever eco-friendly crafting. Try this [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Homemade Caramel Apples

October 12, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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There’s nothing that beckons the dawn of fall like crisp yet rich caramel apples. The moment I see them hit the grocery store end caps I know that autumn is in full swing. If you’re an addict like me, try your hand at this simple recipe that will not only give you the freshest results [...]

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How to Make Wine Cork Christmas Trees

September 28, 2011 by fashiongreentbags
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My daughter just recently began her part-time job at Jo-Ann Fabrics and was aghast to see that the Christmas items were already being prominently displayed in the store. Upon inquiry, she was informed that the reason for the early displays (It was, after all, the beginning of September.) was to ensure that crafters would have [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Pizza Dip

September 21, 2011 by antiquetochic

I figured with the football seasons just starting up, a yummy game day snack would be a great post for this week. It’s not exactly a really healthy recipe to begin with, but you can add ingredients to make it a wholesome munchy for your crew. Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature) 1/2 cup [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

September 14, 2011 by antiquetochic
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Recently, I learned I am sensitive to potatoes in addition to gluten and some dairy. As many of you know a lot of gluten free baked goods are made with potato flour and/or potato starch.  I was getting discouraged since I couldn’t find a yummy chocolate chip cookie without potato in it. So, I turned to my own kitchen. [...]

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[Eco-Tutorial] DIY Deodorant

September 7, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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Over the years I’ve tried every natural deodorant imaginable….Tom’s, Jason, Dr. Hauschka, Burt’s Bees, Lush, crystals, lotions, and good ole’ soap. All left me either stinky and slimy, or red and rashy. Determined to win the battle, I began to scour the internet to find an effective DIY Deodorant recipe. After two failed attempts using Essential [...]

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{Eco Tutorial} Labor Day Craft Party

August 31, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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If you’re looking for a fun twist for your upcoming Labor Day soiree then you’re reading the perfect post! Rather than bringing friends over for the typical lunch and loitering, put those pals to work and teach them how to get crafty with an eco-friendly spin. Make the most of your guests’ day by planning [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Vegan Rice Tortilla Chips

August 3, 2011 by antiquetochic

This recipe is the best one I have found for a yummy snack while being gluten free. It is also the easiest one I have; it only has 3 ingredients! Ingredients & other materials you will need: 1 package of Food for Life Rice Tortillas high heat sunflower oil sea salt paper bag or other item to soak [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Homemade Popsicles for Pooches

July 27, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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If your dogs are anything like mine they love rolling and romping through the summer heat. And while we already know how important it is to keep our furry friends hydrated on warm sticky days – what’s some summer sun without tasty frozen treats?! To give your canine a yummy snack that will cool them [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Blush & Flush: Natural Cheek & Lip Stain

July 20, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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There are many secrets cosmetic companies intentionally keep from consumers. Thousands of toxic chemicals abound in lipsticks, fragrances, shampoos, and eye shadows being sold in the United States and beyond. Take one look at the Cosmetic Safety Database and you’ll see for yourself that we’re literally killing ourselves for the sake of beauty. For this [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} A Festive Fourth: Upcycled Decor

June 29, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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With the Fourth of July creeping up this weekend you may be on the hunt for fun decorations that will set the mood for your patriotic soiree. But before you skip away to your local party store – try your hand at these simple upcycled crafts that you can make at home with things you [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Simply Lovely: DIY Braided Headband

June 22, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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Looking for an elegant way to fight frizz this summer? If your hair is anything like mine then you know that heat and humidity can equal only one thing: bushy out-of-control fly-aways. An easy solution is using a chic headband to hold all your fringe in place. But finding a hair accessory that’s cute, effective and [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Creamy Vegan Pasta

June 8, 2011 by antiquetochic
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For the last week I have been doing a lot of experimenting in the kitchen. I had to take all dairy out of my diet, so no more mac & cheese for me.   Then I came up with this recipe and my mac & cheese was back but in a different and unexpected way. Ever [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Vegan Apple Cinnamon Bread

June 1, 2011 by antiquetochic
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I have been gluten free for a little over a year. I had to do it out of necessity due to medical issues and I really don’t mind it as much as I thought I would. I feel better, I’m eating better, and I would recommend it to anyone. They make so much now for [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Sweet & Simple Mint Syrup Recipe

May 25, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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  Memorial Day is this weekend – and there’s nothing as refreshing as a cool glass of lemonade laced with homemade mint syrup! And if you’re anything like me, you have plenty of this tasty herbal weed growing throughout your garden already. So gather a small harvest and pull out your favorite pitcher and some [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} From Picnic to Pillowcase: Napkins Reinvented

May 18, 2011 by Pierogi Picnic
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Does Spring give you that itch for change? Are you aching to give your pad a face-lift? Do IKEA catalogs and the latest issue of Home & Garden fill you with decorator’s lust? Well toss aside those consumerist temptations and grab your nearest needle and thread to redecorate Ecoetsy style! One of the simplest ways [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} How to make foam handwashing soap

May 11, 2011 by ecokaren
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Do you ever wonder how to use up all of that little bit of soap that’s left on the bottom of the soap dispenser or a refillable soap containers? Like this one? It looks empty, doesn’t it? But don’t let the outside color fool you. There’s enough soap inside to make at least another bottle [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Non-Toxic Way To Clean Stainless Steel Pans

May 4, 2011 by ecokaren
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All my pots and pans are stainless steel. I ditched all the non-stick Teflon pans years ago because of PFOA – perfluorooctanoic acid – a solvent used to make Teflon coated pans that are toxic to our health. I admit; it took months of getting used to stainless steel pans because, as you can imagine, [...]

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Delicious Chick Pea Loaf Recipe

April 27, 2011 by fashiongreentbags
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Tonight I was pondering what in the world to fix for supper. I seem to have gotten into somewhat of a rut when it comes to cooking lately and this looks like a delicious way out of that rut.  Next time I go grocery shopping I’ll be buying these ingredients and making this tasty treat. [...]

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Amazing Grilled Veggies and Cous Cous

April 20, 2011 by fashiongreentbags
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It’s 7:00 PM and I still haven’t eaten dinner. For some reason, after posting this recipe from Tiffany, of Picnic Basket Crafts, I find myself wanting to gnaw on my computer screen! This recipe looks absolutely delicious and, if it EVER stops raining here in NE Ohio, I may “have” to make this for my [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} Making Your Own Duster from Evil Fleece and Velvet

April 13, 2011 by fashiongreentbags
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For today’s tutorial Rain of Re-Maine Wicked shared her tutorial which was borne out of her dislike for specific fabrics. Wondering what to do with your fleece and velvet discards? Read on! I have a love/ hate relationship with fleece and a very volatile relationship with velvet.  I am a notoriously staticky (I know that’s not [...]

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Making Mailing Envelopes from Recycled Store Paper Bags

April 6, 2011 by fashiongreentbags
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Chriss Smith (Art of Zen Crochet) kindly shared this tutorial for making mailing envelopes from recycled brown paper store bags. (You know, the kind you get at the store when you forget your cloth bags?) These will save you some money and save some trees as well. PLUS, it’s a great way to spend a [...]

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{Eco-Tutorial} How To Make A Gift Bag

February 23, 2011 by fashiongreentbags

Here’s a tutorial from Jen of Winkydinks showing how to make a reusable gift bag. If you read Monday’s post about recycling paper you know how important it is to preserve trees.  These gift bags are a great way to reduce, reuse and save many trees in the process! You can make gift bags for [...]

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We are getting better and better

February 17, 2011 by ecokaren
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We are excited to announce some great changes to our humble abode here on Eco Etsy’s site. We have added some new tenants and moved the furniture around a little so that you can appreciate the comforts of our home better. As you have probably noticed, we’ve added a new feature called, {Tuesday Treasury} where [...]

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How to Make a Skin-Nourishing Herbal Salve

February 13, 2011 by fashiongreentbags

I don’t know about you but this winter weather has me searching for relief for my embattled dry skin. For a lot of us this tutorial from Mary, of herbanlifestyle, will be useful once the snow melts and the vegetation begins to grow once again. Planning ahead for next winter by making this luxurious salve [...]

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Messenger Bag Tutorial by Re-Maine Wicked

February 6, 2011 by fashiongreentbags

Sunday’s posts this month will feature fabulous tutorials by our generous Ecoetsy members who have kindly shared their projects with us all. Thank you to everyone who contributed. This is going to be a fun and instructive month! Re-Maine Wicked shared the following tutorial showing how to make a messenger bag from all recycled pieces [...]

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Absolutely No-Sew Draft Dodger

January 22, 2011 by moonbeads

I don’t know what temps are like where you are, but here they were in the single digits last night.    I was lucky to be able to stay inside where it was warm and dry.  We installed new weatherstripping this fall, and, of course, our house has added insulation.  Another way to keep it warm [...]

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Less Meat Black Bean Soup

January 9, 2011 by moonbeads

Everyone adopted all of the recommended eco resolutions from last week, right?   Well, I hope some of you are doing some of them, anyway. Here’s a soup recipe to help with eating less meat. This can be vegan, vegetarian or a meat stretcher, depending on your desires. Black Bean Soup 1 large onion, chopped                                   2 c canned [...]

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Tutorial: 6 Ways to Upcycle Glass Jars and Lids

December 12, 2010 by ecokaren

Before I share how to make some cool things with glass jars and lids, I have to tell you that our little Eco Etsy blog was listed in “Who’s Who” of green crafting blogging world. In this recent list by, Accredited Degree Online blog, Eco Etsy was listed among the top Green Crafting Blogs. And [...]

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Eco-friendly Granola Bars Recipe

September 12, 2010 by moonbeads

One of the things that bothers me most about portable food is individually packaged serving sizes.  Reusable bags and lunch kits are great.  But there are some foods that you can only get individually packaged.  Granola bars, for example.  But, you can make your own. There are oodles of different granola bars out there, some [...]

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Add Pizzazz to Your Switch Plates

August 22, 2010 by fashiongreentbags

Another great big THANK YOU to Linda, of A la Mode Stuff , for giving us this easy to follow video tutorial for decoupaging household switch plates. Taking magazine pages, food labels, photographs, etc. and using them to personalize light switch  and electrical plug plates can be a great way to craft with the kids [...]

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Making Paper Flowers from Magazines

August 15, 2010 by fashiongreentbags

This is a great craft project to complete with the kids or on your own. What a great way to use a WHOLE magazine to create something beautiful! The completed flowers are suitable for decoration in your home, at your craft booth, a wedding, a shower…almost anywhere you’re decorating with “green” items.  If you have [...]

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Tutorial: How to Make Wristcuffs with Neckties

August 8, 2010 by fashiongreentbags

This tutorial assumes a basic knowledge of hand-sewing and comes with a serious caution – be super careful with the box cutter! Another caution – if you value your fabric-cutting scissor, do not use it to cut plastic – it will dull the blades. When working with neckties (my favorite material to repurpose), I often [...]

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How to make homemade potpourri

July 24, 2010 by moonbeads

Humans have used natural scents for 6,000 years.   People used flowers and spices in their homes, and carried them around.  In the middle ages, people carried around bouquets so that they could sniff them when they smelled the odors from the gutter where people emptied their chamberpots.  Herbs and flowers were also used underfoot in dirt floored [...]

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Herb Harvest Time

July 3, 2010 by moonbeads

As I walk out onto my deck, I see that it is harvest time for Basil. To me, that means pesto. I’m sure most of you have made traditional Basil, Pine nut, Garlic, Parmesan Pesto. This recipe has been used for centuries throughout Europe. And for all I know, all over the world. But, what [...]

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Edible Weeds, with a Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

June 27, 2010 by fashiongreentbags

With the hot summer days here in the Northern Hemisphere, cool refreshing meals are a welcome treat. Fortunately you don’t have to look far to enjoy a tasty treat.  Mary Kearns of herbanlifestyle sent this recipe you can gather in your own yard.  To make it even better, she’s given us a recipe for a [...]

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StashBuster Potholders

June 20, 2010 by moonbeads

Lorigami,  www.Lorigami.etsy .com has generously given Ecoetsy a tutorial from her blog.  I remember making pot holders in Girl Scouts that were similar to these.  So thanks again to Lorigami.  Here’s her tutorial. Y’all may recall the big Michigan House-clean-out project from last spring after my Uncle passed away? Well, one of the things I [...]

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How to Make Shipping Envelopes

May 30, 2010 by fashiongreentbags

Melody of Kindercotton shared her blog tutorial about how to make your own waterproof mailers from recycled store bags.  If you know someone who uses store bags instead of reusable totes, ask him/her to save them for you! I recently ran out of the Tyvek envelopes that I had been using to ship out my [...]

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Make Your Own Business Cards

May 16, 2010 by fashiongreentbags

From Claire Baker (Montclairmade) here’s a tip for recycling materials to make your own business cards! 1). It’s fun and easy to create your own business cards that reflect your style and make a great impression! For this simple tutorial you will need a paper cutter, used manila file folders, mod podge, and whatever ephemera [...]

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Herb Pasta

May 9, 2010 by moonbeads

Sigh, late again. My excuse is that I had unexpected out of town company come to visit sat am. Here’s one of my spur of the moment pasta dishes that I make for unexpected company when I have fresh herbs in my garden. I like to make it as healthy as possible, so I use [...]

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Recipe for Eating Green

May 2, 2010 by fashiongreentbags

We eat a lot of leftovers at our house.  I frequently make “dump dinners” where I take the bits and pieces of a few days’ leftovers and cook them together in a new and sometimes delicious dish.  I hate throwing away food but despite my best efforts it still happens occasionally.  Unni, of  strandredesign has [...]

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Greening ‘Brown’ Bag Lunches

April 25, 2010 by moonbeads

I have been going gradually greener since the first Earth Day. I was engaged in college to an Environmental Engineering student. I learned from him a lot about pollution and efforts to stop it. I am proud to say that he is an EE at the Calif. air board. We’re friends, but we didn’t get married. [...]

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Introduction

April 18, 2010 by fashiongreentbags

Hi! I’m Linda Miles and my EcoEtsy shop is Fashion Green T Bags . I am very pleased to be able to bring you eco tips and tutorials for our blog. I’ve been eco-conscious since I was in the seventh grade and my teacher, Mrs. Truax (or Truex…I can’t remember) taught us to care. I’d [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Toilet Paper Roll Planters

April 4, 2010 by ecokaren

Tutorial submitted by LilFishStudios Toilet Paper Roll Planters Here’s a quick and easy way to get a jump on your spring planting by using a common household item, the empty toilet paper tube. What you’ll need: Empty toilet paper tubesSharp scissorsPotting soilSeeds or cuttingsA tray or lid to hold your plantings To begin, cut your [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Nutty Fruit Snack Bars

March 25, 2010 by ecokaren

Tutorial submitted by JanssendesignsNutty fruit snack bars prep time: 20 minutes yield: 12 snack bars These snack bars can be made with lots of different ingredients. The key is getting the right consistency so they don’t turn out too sticky or too crumbly. Here is my favorite version: 22 pitted organic dates½ cup organic raisins1 [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Carrot Biscuits

March 18, 2010 by ecokaren

This is a recipe submitted by Sheshanna of PieceuniqueThe measurements are converted from metric system. Carrot Biscuit 100gr butter – 7 tbsp100 gr sugar (I used brown sugar) – 7 tbsp50 gr grated carrots – 3 tbsp2 eggs275 gr buckwheat flour – 18 tbsp2g baking powder (or one small coffee spoon) – 1/4 tbsp1 coffee [...]

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Eco How To: Reusable Tea Bag

March 4, 2010 by ecokaren

Here is a great tutorial submitted by: Ojamiya Amy is the newest member of Eco Etsy Team and I am so delighted she took on this challenge even before she was inducted into the team. Thank You Amy!! Reusable Tea Bag Tutorial After seeing the delightful tutorial on DIY green coffee filters, it occurred to [...]

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Eco How To: Reusable Coffee Filters

February 25, 2010 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by winkydinks Here’s a simple way to reduce your daily waste stream: use reusable coffee filters! You can also use filterless systems, permanent reusable filters, or a french press, but some people prefer the taste of coffee that has been filtered. The great news…you can make one in less than 10 minutes with [...]

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Eco How To: Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) Recipe

February 18, 2010 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by Herban Life Style While shopping at Hana Market in DC, I picked up some supplies to make onigiri, with the idea that I would try my hand at making these simple, delicious rice balls. This included short-grain brown sushi rice, large flat sheets of nori (dried seaweed), furikake (in this case, a [...]

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Eco How-to: Gluten-Free Graham Crackers

January 24, 2010 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Sharing this blog post by Carrie from the etsy shop, washmycloth. She was so kind to send a link to these yummy gluten-free graham crackers. Enjoy her lovely post and be sure to check out the Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef blog! One Recipe, One Boy, and a lot of Yum! Amazing gluten free graham [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Holiday How-to!

December 18, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Submitted by ChakraPennywhistle There are so many wonderful, eco-friendly tutorials this season! Below, you will find links to everything from green gift wrap ideas to the sweetest recycled cereal box houses. Green Your Holiday Gift Wrapping by Sweet Greens 18 Days of Festive Freebies by Creature Comforts Alternative Wrapping by Furious Shirley Cereal Box Houses [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Homemade Remedies

November 27, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Submitted by bululustudio Visit the Bululu Studio blog I’m all about tips, I enjoy using and learning new tips and especially if they are Eco friendly. I found a huge list of remedies that we all can make at home to treat insects and diseases on plants. This time I’m going to share them with [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Upcycled Garbage Box

November 20, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Submitted by EcoKaren Visit the EcoKaren website Do you have a garbage can or a bag in the car? Try using an empty garbage bag box. It’s little bigger than a tissue box and when it fills up, you can throw away the whole box or if it’s still in shape and not wet, you [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Custom Stamps

November 20, 2009 by chakrap
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Eco Tutorial: Cereal Box Storage Unit

November 13, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by Uncorked Now I know we shouldn’t be eating this stuff, but some of us do have a collection of cereal boxes from overnight guests and for days when the kids really need to fend for themselves. And I have to admit I especially love the little mini assortment packs! To make this [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Cereal Box Storage Unit

November 13, 2009 by Polarity

Tutorial submitted by Uncorked Now I know we shouldn’t be eating this stuff, but some of us do have a collection of cereal boxes from overnight guests and for days when the kids really need to fend for themselves. And I have to admit I especially love the little mini assortment packs! To make this [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Natural, Non-toxic Cleaning

November 6, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by infusion Visit the Infusion Fibers blog Natural, Non-toxic Cleaning Tip… There are certain things that can be very difficult to clean when you keep a solvent-free, chemical free home. A few of the kinds of things I’m referring to are permanent marker, tar,pitch and gooey sticker residue.   As a cleaner, safer alternative [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Natural, Non-toxic Cleaning

November 6, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by infusion Visit the Infusion Fibers blog Natural, Non-toxic Cleaning Tip… There are certain things that can be very difficult to clean when you keep a solvent-free, chemical free home. A few of the kinds of things I’m referring to are permanent marker, tar,pitch and gooey sticker residue.   As a cleaner, safer alternative [...]

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Eco Eats: Curried Long Island Cheese Pumpkin Soup

October 30, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Curried Long Island Cheese Pumpkin Soup Recipe submitted by ecokaren I love everything pumpkin. The soups, pies, carved faces, the seeds, and even mashed pumpkin. So when I needed a warm soothing soup in this dreary and raining weather like today, I searched my good friend at Copywriter’s Kitchen to find a good Pumpkin Soup [...]

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Eco Eats: Curried Long Island Cheese Pumpkin Soup

October 30, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Curried Long Island Cheese Pumpkin Soup Recipe submitted by ecokaren I love everything pumpkin. The soups, pies, carved faces, the seeds, and even mashed pumpkin. So when I needed a warm soothing soup in this dreary and raining weather like today, I searched my good friend at Copywriter’s Kitchen to find a good Pumpkin Soup [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Little Authors

October 23, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by FunkeyMonkeyCompany I have three girls – one in college, one in high school and one in elementary, I have to admit I’ve never been active in PTA (just not my bag), instead I volunteer to work with the teachers helping them with special projects. Over the past 10 years, I have been [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Little Authors

October 23, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by FunkeyMonkeyCompany I have three girls – one in college, one in high school and one in elementary, I have to admit I’ve never been active in PTA (just not my bag), instead I volunteer to work with the teachers helping them with special projects. Over the past 10 years, I have been [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Green Print

October 2, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by fmcetsyshop Visit the Chicky Lounge blog. Over the past few months I’ve been using a tool called Print Green. It allows me to control the pages I print by giving me the ability to eliminate text, images and pages before printing. It also keeps track of your dollar savings and the eco-impact. [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Green Print

October 2, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by fmcetsyshopVisit the Chicky Lounge blog. Over the past few months I’ve been using a tool called Print Green. It allows me to control the pages I print by giving me the ability to eliminate text, images and pages before printing. It also keeps track of your dollar savings and the eco-impact.  You [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Disposing CFL bulbs

September 25, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by ecokaren I changed all my incandescent bulbs to CFL bulbs when they first came out. Luckily, I haven’t broke any but I know they contain mercury, albeit, very little but wondered how to dispose of them if they break. The instruction says not to just throw them away with the regular trash [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Repurposed Containers

September 18, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by GoodToGoEcoVisit the GoodToGoEco blog Have you started a collection of those large plastic containers that held fruit & snack mix? We get ours from the membership clubs that sell in large quantity. We end up collecting those jars, but we were never sure what to do with them. So I took on [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Tags and Thank You Cards

September 11, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by StrandRedesignVisit the StrandRedesign blog Fabric scraps and card board are perfect for making tags and your eco-friendly products. You can also use them as thank you cards or business cards. Find some used card board. I was lucky and found some that were white on one side.  Another way to add a [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Free and Eco Friendly!

September 4, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Submitted by ecokaren Visit the ecokaren blog How to get FREE fabric and be eco friendly! That’s right. FREE! Read what I did recently. I stopped by a local upholstery fabric store last week. I can never afford anything in there but I like to peruse the aisles hoping something will be on, like, 90% [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Trying Out Tofu

August 28, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Recipe submitted by GoodtoGoEco Visit the Good to Go Eco blog A friend and I were discussing tofu the other day. We both ordered tofu frequently when eating out, but had never ventured to prepare any at home. After pondering this for awhile, I decided it was time to branch out and try something new. [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Coconut Brown Rice with Raisins and Cinnamon

August 14, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Recipe submitted by Iris1980 My 3 year old son loves to eat this for a healthy morning snack or lunch. Coconut Brown Rice with Raisins and Cinnamon Ingredients: 1 cup brown rice 1 can coconut milk little less than 1 cup water 3/4 cup organic raisins cinnamon 1 pinch of salt – combine ingredients (besides [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Coconut Brown Rice with Raisins and Cinnamon

August 14, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Recipe submitted by Iris1980 My 3 year old son loves to eat this for a healthy morning snack or lunch. Coconut Brown Rice with Raisins and Cinnamon Ingredients:1 cup brown rice1 can coconut milklittle less than 1 cup water3/4 cup organic raisinscinnamon1 pinch of salt – combine ingredients (besides cinnamon)in a pot- bring to a [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Cleansing (and delicious) Beet Soup

August 7, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Recipe submitted by SewnNatural CLEANSING (and delicious) BEET SOUP Awhile back, I shared a chocolate cake recipe from my new favorite cookbook “Feeding the Whole Family – Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents” by Cynthia Lair. When I contacted her to ask about reprinting the recipe, Cynthia told me about a new cooking [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Business Card Holder

July 31, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by Lolaness Visit the blog Pixel Boutique I recently had a featured interview through EcoEtsy, where I spoke about the idea of sending things like business cards in business card holders so that the packaging could be reused over and over – cutting back on waste, preventing the need to recycle or reuse [...]

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Eco Tutorial: 7 Layer Bean Dip Recipe

July 24, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Recipe submitted by ecogeneration Visit the ecogeneration blog Third Ring of Hell Seven Layer Bean Dip Summer is a great time for cookouts and family reunions. Bring this healthy appetizer with bags of organic tortilla chips for a great-marriage-made-in-heaven kind of snacking pleasure. This recipe is from a talented friend’s blog, Copywriter’s Kitchen, where she [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Great Gift Packaging

July 17, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial Submitted by Good to Go Eco Visit the Good to Go Eco blog With the economy in a slump and the commercial use of recycling on the decline, reusing is becoming more and more critical to reducing waste. One great reuse of cardboard boxes is to upcycle them into gift packaging. In just a [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Great Gift Packaging

July 17, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial Submitted by Good to Go EcoVisit the Good to Go Eco blog With the economy in a slump and the commercial use of recycling on the decline, reusing is becoming more and more critical to reducing waste. One great reuse of cardboard boxes is to upcycle them into gift packaging. In just a few [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Easy Product Packaging

July 10, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by Picnic Basket Crafts Today I have a no-sew, no-glue, no-tape, no-staple alternative utilizing some simple folds to make a self-locking envelope. You can use it to package soap, jewelry, potato chips, a book, pretty much anything! The decorative paper and glue stick are optional. Frankly, you don’t even really need the scissors. [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Dryer Balls

July 3, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by ecogeneration Visit the ecogeneration blog If you are the one who does the laundry in your house, you know the age old mystery – what happened to the other sock? You are sure you put both socks in the washer and dryer but when you start to fold the laundry, you have [...]

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Eco Tutorial: DIY Deodorant

June 26, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial Submitted by PierogiPicnic Also visit the Sprout Chicago blog for even more wonderful tutorials! Over the years I’ve tried every natural deodorant imaginable….Tom’s, Jason, Dr. Hauschka, Burt’s Bees, Lush, crystals, lotions, and good ole’ soap. All left me either stinky and slimy, or red and rashy. Determined to win the battle, I began to [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Reclaimed Padded Envelopes

June 19, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by Swirlyarts Visit the Swirlyarts blog Materials you will need: Paper – something strong like book pages/wallpaper. I wouldn’t recommend magazines. Bubblewrap – I get mine free from the fruit and veg aisle at the supermarket. Just make sure you ask first! Scissors Double sided sticky tape along with normal sticky tape Paper [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Mary’s Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

June 12, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Recipe submitted by SewnNatural Eco Picnic Blanket by SewnNatural As a mom of a toddler, I’m always on the look-out for quick, delicious and nutritious recipes I can whip up to spice up our meal routine. I now have a great tool to help me do that – a book by Cynthia Lair called “Feeding [...]

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Eco Tutorial: Beach Stone Bud Vase – Ikebana

June 5, 2009 by Kate @ KnitStorm

Tutorial submitted by Sea Find Designs Make your own Beach Stone Bud Vase – Rikkibana! 1. Select your glass or stones….. the flatter the better! I like my Ikebana to stand about 3 inches tall! 2. Depending on the OD (outer diameter size) of your tubing….. you’ll need to drill an appropriate size hole in [...]

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