Eco-Friendly, Foldable FlipFlops by Pocketflop

Haven't you ever wished you could kick your heels off and slide your feet into something more comfortable but the hassle of carrying an extra pair of shoes around with you makes that impossible?

You have to carry a pretty big bag if you plan to lug around an extra pair of shoes and who wants to stick a dirty pair of shoes in with their other stuff.Pocketflops are the answer to that dilemma. These cute and eco-friendly flipflops fold in half and slide into a small carrying pouch that can easily fit into your purse, tote bag or other carryall.

How wonderful is that?

After hours on your feet you can put on a pair of flipflops even if you're not heading home. These would be great for longs days at the office, put them on after a day of classes, or maybe after a couple hours at a party and your feet are starting to kill you after tromping around in four inch heels for hours.

Flirty, fun and easy to carry Pocketflops take the hassle out of carrying around an extra pair of shoes.

Keep reading this article here.

EcoPaper Sketchbooks and Craft Paper

Looking for unique and tree free paper for sketching or other artistic pursuits?

Check out Ecopaper. They have a delightfully delicious (not really delicious but when you hear what some of the paper is made from your tummy may grumble too) selection of sketchbooks, quality papers, notebooks and more, made from coffee, mango, lemon, banana, cigars, hemp and sugar.

I’ve heard of paper being made from hemp and banana before but lemons, mangoes, and coffee? Wow. Tree free and very eco-friendly since EcoPaper works very hard to be an earth friendly company. You can read all about it at their site.

I was sent a package of sample papers to check out. Some pages are thin and white like regular paper, while others are so thick like card stock. The first thing I did was sniff them but no they don’t smell fruity or like coffee (bummer) but they are uniquely textured and very colorful. The coffee paper is rich with dark splotches throughout the paper so no two sheets are alike. The mango paper is a beautiful orange-yellow color and the lemon paper is a soft lemony yellow.

Read the rest of this entry »

A Review of Fix It, Make It, Grow It, Bake It by Billee Sharp

Fix It, Make It, Grow It, Bake It: The D.I.Y. Guide to the Good Life is a must have book not just for greenies but for frugal DIY types everywhere.

This fabulous read is chock full of advice on budgeting, health, growing your own food, wealth, making meals for pennies, and making the holidays homemade and special. You’ll find ideas for going DIY, whether you are new to it or just looking for new ones to make and bake your way into a greener more frugal life. This is a great book to have on your bookshelf.

From the publisher:

Author Billee Sharp shares her free-cycling, budget-savvy, barter-better wisdom in this step-by-step handbook to revolutionizing your spending habits and reclaiming your quality of life. Fix It, Make It, Grow It, Bake It is an inspiring and instructive guide to living the handmade life by consuming less and creating more. Practical and profound, this handy how-to covers every area of life and offers easy-to-do tips, recipes, and advice on saving money and the planet. You and your family can live more joyfully and far more creatively, all on a dime. The best things in life are free—or if they aren’t, you can have a lot of fun making them.

Learn how to:

• Ditch the lawn and raise organic veggies

• Cook healthy meals for pennies

• Eco-clean your house with lemons and lavender

• Cure minor maladies from the kitchen cabinet

• Join a seed sharing community garden

• Save big dollars with small repairs

• Organize a free market

• Put the “happy” back in your holidays

Keep reading here.

10 Crafty Green Things to Do With Old Sweaters

Do you have a pile of old sweaters that no longer fit but you just can’t bear to throw them out?

How about reusing and upcycling them into something else?

Here are ten crafty ways to reuse old sweaters.

Read the rest of this entry »

Eco Backpacks for Back to School

Where did July go? I can’t believe summer is flying by so fast. It is August- which means back to school time.

You know this always happens to me. The 4th of July comes along then all the sudden I realize summer is almost over. I know there’s still August, which means a whole month before school starts here in Michigan but it is always so busy with doctor and dentist appointments and still trying to squeeze as much fun out of summer before it’s gone and we’re left with a long, cold, never-ending winter.

One thing I always dread is back to school shopping. And wouldn’t you know it- the stores are already doing their sales. My daughter needs a new backpacks (among other things) since hers has fallen apart. I’ve cleaned it and sewed it for the past year and a half but I think it’s on its last leg finally. So I’ve been researching eco-friendly backpacks.

So far here’s what I have found. (continue reading…)

Sewing Clothing from Pillowcases: 8 Repurposed Projects

With the green movement going strong and craftiness in the spotlight I have discovered a lot of people sewing clothing from old pillowcases.

My BFF Jen was the first to tell me about transforming pillowcases into dresses for little girls which was showcased in one of the old Victorian magazines she used to collect. She decided she wanted to give it a try but had lost the original pattern.

So I went on a pattern hunt and ended up finding pillowcase patterns for several types of dresses, skirts, rompers, even tanks tops and camisoles.

Here are some of the cutest and best pillowcase clothing patterns that I found.

Read the rest of this entry »