The Creatively Green Write a Home Mom

Have book will travel -a guest blog by Michelle Beattie

2012-01-27T14:38:00.000-05:00

Have book will travel -a guest blog by Michelle Beattie

I don't read to "travel" to exotic or never-been-to-before places. I usually grab a book based on a) partly it's cover, b) it's back blurb and c) if it's a favorite author. Still, I have to say that if I enjoy a story AND it's taken me someplace I've never been, I feel like I've travelled, in some small way, away from home.

Through books I've been swept to a Caribbean island, a mountain ski resort and the Florida Everglades. I've "been" to Vermont, New Jersey, Texas, New Orleans, the Chesapeake Bay. I feel as though I've felt the icy chill of an Alaskan blizzard, felt the humidity of Louisiana and bounced along a rutted road in a stagecoach.

What a treat it is to lose yourself in a book, to be taken on an emotional as well as a physical journey.

I live in Alberta, Canada. I have two daughters and my husband has his own business. We don't travel much and, frankly, some of the settings I've read about aren't really on my radar anytime soon. However, BECAUSE I've read about them, I am now more interested in seeing them than I was before.

So, readers, is there a book/location that so captivated you in a book you've since gone there yourself or are planning a trip to go see?

I don't read to "travel" to exotic or never-been-to-before places. I usually grab a book based on a) partly it's cover, b) it's back blurb and c) if it's a favorite author. Still, I have to say that if I enjoy a story AND it's taken me someplace I've never been, I feel like I've travelled, in some small way, away from home.

Through books I've been swept to a Caribbean island, a mountain ski resort and the Florida Everglades. I've "been" to Vermont, New Jersey, Texas, New Orleans, the Chesapeake Bay. I feel as though I've felt the icy chill of an Alaskan blizzard, felt the humidity of Louisiana and bounced along a rutted road in a stagecoach.

What a treat it is to lose yourself in a book, to be taken on an emotional as well as a physical journey.

I live in Alberta, Canada. I have two daughters and my husband has his own business. We don't travel much and, frankly, some of the settings I've read about aren't really on my radar anytime soon. However, BECAUSE I've read about them, I am now more interested in seeing them than I was before.

So, readers, is there a book/location that so captivated you in a book you've since gone there yourself or are planning a trip to go see?

Another Chance
By Michelle Beatti

Being a veterinarian in the late 1800’s is difficult enough, but for Jillian Matthews it’s impossible. Not allowed in the vet schools, she trained at her father’s side until she had the skills needed to move west. Jillian accepts an advertisement for a position in Montana, using only her initials which happen to be same as her father’s. Convinced that in the untamed west, her skills will be valued and appreciated, regardless of her gender, she’s quickly proved wrong.

Wade Parker is sure the pretty redhead claiming to be the vet he sent for is one of his ranch hands’ practical jokes but the fiery woman very quickly puts him in his place and proves him wrong. His impression, however, turns south when the animal she operated on later dies. With a ranch on the verge of bankruptcy, losing an animal was the last thing he could afford and he can’t help thinking the old vet, the male doctor, wouldn’t have let his animal die.

With Wade’s initial reaction guiding them, the town is quick to want Jillian out. But the more Wade gets to know Jillian, the more he sees her grit and compassion, the harder he falls for her. When Wade realizes he was too hasty in his judgment and urges the town to give Jillian another chance, he makes more than few enemies. Enemies that would do almost anything to get her out, and to make sure Wade doesn’t take her side again.

Soon threats turn to violence and both Wade and Jillian must make a stand. The problem is, at what cost?

About the Author:

Michelle Beattie has been writing for 16 years. Her first pirate novel was released in December 2008 under the title, What a Pirate Desires. Since then she added two more to her series, Romancing the Pirate and A Pirate's Possession.

Changing gears a bit, Michelle has decided to follow the growing trend of published authors independently publishing their own books. She released her first independent title, a contemporary light paranormal, Love By Accident, in October and is following it up with a historical western, Another Chance.

Her pirate books have received wonderful praise from publisher's weekly, Romantic Times and several on-line review sites as well as have been published in several languages. Love By Accident hit #14 in ghosts on Amazon's site on its release day.

Michelle lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband, two daughters and a rabbit.

twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/M_Beattie

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Beattie-Romance-Author/100613946697175

website: http://www.michellebeattie.com/

An Excerpt from The Opera by Michelle Franklin

2012-01-26T14:36:00.000-05:00

An excerpt from The Opera

Upon reaching the keep’s kitchen, the commander found Alasdair sitting at the table with his early evening tea, reading over his proclamations for the day. He seemed equanimity itself now that his presiding in the royal courts for the day had done; leaning back in his favourite chair, with half a glance toward the yard and half toward his papers, his hand in mid-ascension, the teacup pressed against his lips, expecting to be soothed by his first sip of lemon soother, when the advertisement was thrust before him, causing him to replace his cup upon the table and investigate the announcement directly.

“Oh, this looks brilliant,” Alasdair declared smilingly. “Is this about us?”

“I daresay it is,” the commander said, pointing to the title of the opera, “although I’m hardly recognizable.”

“Well, I can tell it’s you by the . . .” Alasdair made a suggestive gesture toward her chest and left his assertion there, returning his gaze to the poster while a small blush crept up his cheek.

“Those are far too small to be mine.”

The size and shape of her magnanimous proportions could be compared, but Alasdair would not look again; he would not be suspected of gawping for pleasure nor would his gentlemanly sensibilities allow him to be baited so easily. “I suppose you’re right,” he said quickly, keeping his gaze firmly upon the advertisement. He seemed bemused, and pointing to the heroic figure in the piece said, “Is that meant to be me on that white horse?”

“And I do believe that’s meant to be Maeve.”

Alasdair raised a brow. “She would be disappointed.”

“As she should be. What chestnut mare wants to be a white stallion?”

“And she certainly isn’t that . . .” fat was what he wished to say, but at that moment, Martje had trundled in from the larder and Alasdair was forced to check himself. He said a polite hello and his features flushed with colour to think he had almost said the forbidden word in the plump cook’s presence. “I look very well, though,” he said cheerfully. “My hair is tidy and my jerkin looks very fitting. Those breeches, though, don’t go well with those boots. It would have been better to match them with calfskin boots, not these impossible things. Who would wear boots that low when riding? The fabric would chafe, surely.”

The commander laughed and shook her head. “Is that all your worry?”

“Yes, I think so,” he said with stout confidence. He took a moment to regard the remainder of the piece and then decided, “Well, Rautu looks accurate, doesn’t he.”

“You are too horrid,” she said with a sagacious smile.

“I’m allowed to say what I want when he’s not here.”

“You know that he has eyes and ears in every corner of this keep and yet you would ridicule him. You are all bravery, Alasdair.”

“If he can say whatever he wants to my face, then I think I might be allowed to admire his portrait before demands to kill the illustrator.” Alasdair made a defensive humph and began folding the poster. “Has he seen it yet?”

“No.”

“Good. I’ll send the herald to the theatre with the instruction that everyone involved with this production is to leave the capital immediately.”

“You are the epitome of charity, Alasdair, in giving them such a warning, but I daresay he shall hunt them down and skin them regardless. Will you allow this opera to be performed even though you know its content to be possibly disparaging?”

Alasdair made an abashed smile and took a last peek at the depiction of himself. “I wonder if they’ll have me kill Rautu in a terrific duel or if I’ll merely sing him to death.”

“You know the powers of the Frewyn Players and their ability to depict historical events with perfect accuracy.”

It was said with such wryness that Alasdair was forced to agree with her; the portrayal of Mad Queen Maeve, though highly entertaining, could hardly be supposed a truthful display when all of Frewyn was aware that her end came from her insanity and not from the edge of an envious lover’s knife as the play might have the uninformed believe. They laughed and sighed, both of them in equal dread and anticipation of what such a piece could depict, and stood from the kitchen table, the commander desirous of telling her mate before he could find out from another quarter and Alasdair wanting to visit the tailor.

The Opera Tales from Frewyn
By Michelle Franklin

Blurb:

When due homage is paid to the heroes of Frewyn, what could possibly go wrong?

The Frewyn Players at the Royal Theatre in Diras are looking for new material to perform when a famous director from Marridon arrives to impart a Marridon theatrical pastime that is certain to make them famous. An opera will be their new performance, one that glorifies Frewyn's greatest heroes, but what begins as homage ends as mockery, and the play that would make them the greatest exhibition in Frewyn might instead make them the Den Asaan's most merited enemy.

Book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Tales-from-Frewyn-The-Opera-ebook/dp/B005TL7QMA

Book on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/94632

Twitter: @MrsDenAsaan & @DenAsaan

Haanta Series site: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/94632

Call for Submissions: Sinister Seductions-Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly

2012-01-25T14:35:00.000-05:00

“Sinister Seductions”
Open Call for Anthology Submissions
Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing

Release Date: October 2012

Sinister Seductions is an anthology of paranormal romance stories edited by Roxanne Rhoads .
This collection will consist of paranormal dark desires and supernaturally seductive tales of all things sinister and scary – think vampires, werewolves, demons, witches, and ghosts.

Please no angels or anything similar, those stories will be covered in the Seraphic Encounters antho.The Anthology will be for the Paranormal Romance adult fan base, please no YA stories.
All romantic heat levels accepted from softly romantic to hot and steamy.

Roxanne is looking for unique takes and edgy twists on popular paranormal characters- give me something new, dark, delicious, and sexy. She's not looking for the common vampire meets human, bites and has sex with human and falls in love story- give her something she's not expecting, something new and delightfullydark.

Stories containing the following will NOT be considered: INCEST, BESTIALITY (SHIFTER OK), RAPE/RAPE FOR TITILLATION, PEDOPHILIA

This anthology will pay NO royalties as a contract will state.

You will retain the rights to your story. CHBB will ask for exclusivity of the story for one year. Other rights we are requiring via contract are First Publishing Rights, the right to use the story for as long as there is demand for the book, the right to edit each story for missed or grammatical errors, and the right to use parts of the book and/or the author’s name for promotion. This would only be for the anthology and not any other books we may publish of yours. The author will receive two copies of the anthology, the PDF file, as well as a discount code for personal orders via Amazon.

To Submit:
Please send submissions to RoxanneRhoads@crushingheartsandblackbutterfly.com

Send your story as an attachment with the following guidelines:
Each story will consist of a minimum of 3,000 words no more than 10k. Each work must be submitted as a .doc or .docx file.
The font must be 12pt Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing, .5 first line indents
Writers may submit more than one story but not more than one work will be included if the writer is selected.

CHBB is asking for fresh and ORIGINAL stories. Current and Previously published stories will NOT be accepted (including self-published works i.e. Smashwords, Amazon, and BN).

The deadline for submission is May 31, 2012. Please allow three to four weeks from the deadline before inquiring on your status. We will try to notify everyone promptly.

Be sure to write “Submission” in the subject line along with your title. In the body of the email, include the title of your story along with your real name, and pen name (if applicable) and your contact info.

We look forward to hearing from you and good luck!

Merging My Two Blogs

2012-01-24T14:26:00.002-05:00

Because my life is busier than I ever imagined- my work load is grueling and I'm working on several novels I am merging two of my blogs into one.

The Write at Home Mom and Creatively Green are becoming one blog- The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom.

I will slowly be adding all the posts from TWAHM to Creatively Green.

So from now on you can expect to not only see crafts, green living, green product reviews and other creatively green posts you will also see guest posts from authors and advice for mom writers.

Handmade Holidays: Three Last Minute Projects

2011-12-17T15:34:00.001-05:00

The Feathered Nest is a blog I frequent. I can always find something crafty and completely inspired there. Christmas is a really good time to drop by for ideas.

I found three cute tutorials for Christmas crafts that will make great last minute decorations or presents.

1. Mittens

The mitten ornaments are a lovely idea. You can either follow her instructions and sew your own or you can round up a bunch of mismatched mittens that you may have tucked away and create fun holiday decorations with them.

With three kids, I have plenty of mismatched mittens and tiny gloves. They all go in a basket in the closet, just in case the matches are ever found. Usually they aren’t. So I have a supply of ready to go gloves and mittens just waiting to be upcycled into Christmas decor.

2. Gift Card Box

The gift card box is another cute craft to make. I have done something similar only I painted the boxes. These ones are a little fancier.

3. Tiny Stockings

The third handmade holiday tutorial from The Feathered Nest that I really like is the wee stocking. This is another craft you can start from scratch or modify and make from small socks you may have left from little ones. Just like mittens and gloves little socks tend to lose their mates.

Some would surely make precious wee stockings.

Four Last Minute Holiday Ornament Decorating Ideas

2011-12-16T03:32:00.003-05:00

Are you having a Christmas party or guests over for dinner and you feel your home isn’t decorated enough? Here are a few last minute decorating ideas that use simple holiday ornaments. They are quick and easy and make use of leftovers that didn’t make it on to your tree.

A simple way to add a little sparkle and an extra special festive feeling to your home is to gather up some ornaments and place them decoratively in a bowl, or even in large wine or even brandy glasses. Adorn your side tables, coffee table, or mantle with these pretty bowls filled with your extra ornaments.

Don’t want to place them in containers? You can also hang them in unusual places.

This pretty purple idea comes from About.com

My Home Ideas offers this simple and fast decorating solution- fill a vase full of holiday ornaments for display.

Here’s one of my favorites, it is so simple and looks so elegant. These ornaments on top of candle stick holders are so beautiful.

This one comes from Better Homes and Gardens. They also have tons of other easy and last minute decorating ideas.

This gorgeous ladder idea also comes from Better Homes and Gardens. Isn’t it festive? And if you go with the color scheme they show you it makes it a perfect holiday decoration but also a festive winter piece that could stay up past the holidays adding a little sparkle to the dreary winter days.

Peweter Ornament from Shutterfly

2011-12-14T12:41:00.001-05:00

Pewter Ornament

View the entire collection of cards.

I just made this ornament, I think it's going to become a yearly tradition- making one each year to add to the tree.

Create a Waste Free Christmas

2011-12-12T14:41:00.000-05:00

Facts About Holiday Waste

Between Thanksgiving and New Years Day American household waste increases by more than 25%.-when you add food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons - it all adds up to an additional 1 million tons of waste per week sent to our landfills. (Source EPA and Use Less Stuff)

Every year in the U.S. alone the annual trash from gift-wrap and shopping bags totals over 4 million tons. (Use Less Stuff)

Are those statistics enough to make you consider a green waste free Christmas?

Decorate Green

The first thing you’ll want to do to create a waste free Christmas is decorate green with recyclable, reusable items. Skip the stuff that’s just going to be tossed in the trash and use heirloom ornaments and decorations that can be used year after year. If you do invest in new items make sure you buy quality products that will last for years to come.

There’s an ongoing debate about Christmas trees. An artificial tree can keep real trees from being cut down but artificial trees are not usually made of earth-friendly materials, but once you buy one it lasts for years- a good one that is taken care of can last decades. I know, I use my mom’s artificial tree that she purchased thirty years ago.

Experts are even sometimes divided on whether it is better to buy a fake tree or purchase a real one.

My opinion is this- if you already have a fake tree stick with it but if you need a tree opt for a live one.

The best choices for live trees are ones that are purchased from local tree farms (organic if possible). These trees are grown to be cut down and sold. The farm will replant trees almost every year to replace the ones cut down the year before. Purchasing from a local tree farm will also support your local community.

After Christmas is over have your tree mulched. Many communities are now providing tree-recycling services during the holidays. This saves all those trees from ended up in a landfill. About 30 million Christmas trees go to the landfill every year according to the Environmental News Network.

Wrap It Up

When shopping for gifts look for items with little to no packaging.

This means less waste for the landfill even less waste to recycle.

Once you have purchased your green gifts you are going to need to wrap them up in eco-style. According to The Recycler's Handbook half of all the paper America consumes in a year is used to wrap and decorate gifts. Imagine if every family could just cut their paper consumption in half for the holidays- so much paper and trees could be saved.

You can easily cut down on waste by making your own holiday cards, tags, ribbons bows, and gift wrap out of scrap materials, used items or recycled materials.

Get the kids involved. Children love craft projects.. Let kids stamp, paint, and decorate plain boxes, bags and paper and transform it into fun holiday wrappings. You can also make use of unique items you have around your home and transform them into fun holiday wrapping paper, such as the comic section of newspapers, colorful pages from magazines, old maps or paper you make yourself.

Another great way to cut down on gift wrap waste is by making the present part of the package by wrapping one gift with another gift.

Are you giving a blanket as a gift? Put a present inside the blanket- use the blanket as the wrapping. Tie it with a used ribbon, piece of twine or string and you are all set. You can roll up sweaters or other clothing items and stick smaller gifts like socks and underwear inside. Tie gifts up in waste free style using curtain tiebacks, shoelaces or hair ribbons. That way everything is part of the gift. Nothing gets thrown away.

If you are handy with a needle and thread you could even make your own waste free, reusable cloth gift bags. Use any fabric you have on hand to create gift bags. Fun holiday prints, old tablecloths, mismatched fabric napkins even old t-shirts or blue jeans would make fabulous reusable fabric gift bags

Recycle and Reuse

This holiday season skip all the disposable stuff that could end up in landfill.

After all the presents are unwrapped save your ribbons, bows, bags and boxes to use for other special occasions or for next year’s Christmas. I have a huge box I put gift bags, boxes, cards, tags and scraps of wrapping paper in to be used year after year. It goes in the cupboard will all of my other seasonal holiday decorations. The scraps are often used the following year to make homemade Christmas cards (a yearly family tradition).

If an item isn’t salvageable- recycle it. Make sure cardboard, paperboard and wrapping paper are all separated into their own piles because they often are sent to different locations for recycling. Be sure to recycle batteries, plastic container, wraps and bottles. Aluminum and glass can also be recycled.

To find local recycling locations near you visit www.Earth911.org

Easy Ideas for a Merry Green Christmas

2011-12-11T14:39:00.000-05:00

Are you tired dealing with a Christmas season that is stressful, commercialized and consumer-oriented?

Have you been trying to live a simpler, greener lifestyle, but you are not sure of how to go about greening the holiday season?

This year you can make your Christmas more eco-friendly and meaningful for you and your family.

Make Your Own Holiday Magic

One way to add more meaning into the holiday season is to slow down and make time for the ones you love. Shop less. Spend more time not money on your loved ones.
A great way to make memories that last is to create holiday traditions that you look forward to doing as a family: like making and decorating Christmas cookies, decorating the tree together or wrapping gifts together. Other traditions could be reading Christmas poems and stories, such as "The Night Before Christmas", as a family.

Another way to make holiday magic is to celebrate the true meaning of the holidays by doing something meaningful for someone else: Donate to charity or volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter for a day. Go through your closets and donate unused, un-needed items to charity. Get the kids involved too, have them find things they no longer need, and donate the items to charitable organizations or local churches that distribute items to the needy.

Decorate Green

A fake tree can keep real trees from being cut down but artificial trees are not usually made of earth-friendly materials, yet once you buy one it lasts for years. Even experts are divided on whether it is better to buy a fake tree or purchase a real one. My pick is if you already have a fake one stick with it but if you need a tree then opt for a live one. Preferably a real tree that is purchased from a local tree farm (organic if possible) and have your tree mulched afterward. Many communities are now providing tree-recycling services during the holidays.

Once you have a tree, light it up with LEDs. They use 90% less energy than regular lights, which means you’ll be green, and you’ll save some green at the same time. They also don't emit as much heat, therefore helping to reduce the risk of fire. LEDs have other benefits as well: one LED light can outlast 60,000 regular incandescent bulbs and last up to twenty years longer than a regular bulb.

Another way to decorate green is to purchase decorations of good quality that will be used over and over again for years to come. You can also decorate with vintage ornaments or ones made from recycled and natural objects.

How about an old fashioned popcorn string that can be fed to the birds or composted after the holidays?

Just make sure to skip the disposable stuff that will only be thrown away. Save your ribbons, bows, bags and boxes and use them again next year. If it can't be saved, recycle it.

Greener Gifts

You can green up your Christmas shopping habits, too.

One way is by purchasing eco-friendly gifts. These could include organic, sustainable, reused, recycled or fair trade items. Examples include organic bath and body products, natural beeswax or soy candles, or clothing and household linens made from organic cotton, hemp or bamboo.

Another way to shop green is to purchase items from nonprofits. Many of them sell great Christmas gifts and donate the proceeds to charity. Like the NWF (National Wildlife Federation) and WWF (World Wildlife Federation) both offer wild animal “adoptions” where you donate money to help an endangered animal and in return you get items like a certificate and stuffed animal-which would be the perfect gift for a child on your list.

Give green by giving gifts that are sure to be used. No one ever lets gift cards or gift certificates to someone's favorite store, tickets to a concert, movie passes or cold hard cash go to waste.

Shop for unique gifts for the collector on your list. Treasure hunt at local thrift stores, consignment shops or antique stores for one-of-a-kind fabulous finds.

Edible gifts are another eco-treat (except the fruitcake). A box of cookies, a cake, crackers and gourmet cheeses or fine chocolates are sure to be enjoyed. A wine lover would enjoy a good bottle of wine. Other options could be jars of do-it-yourself mixes for cookies, cakes, brownies and even soups. Homemade jams, jellies and canned vegetables or fruits are also a good choice and a way to extend your bountiful harvest.

A very green gift is one that you know someone really wants or needs. That way, you know it won't sit around unused, be returned or end up in a landfill anytime soon.

Other ideas for eco-friendly gifts include multipurpose, practical gifts that are likely to be used over and over again.

If you can’t come up with a great green gift idea you can always give the gift of yourself. Make up handmade certificates or coupons for your time or talent that may be needed. Could your best friend use some time by herself? Give her a coupon for a night of babysitting. Does your mom need some help with housecleaning? Would grandpa like a home-cooked meal? Is there a special event your daughter would love to go to with you? How about a night on the town with that special someone?

Wrap It Up

Once you have the gifts you are going to need to wrap them up green.

You can make your own holiday cards, presents and gift wrap out of scrap materials, used items or recycled materials.

Get the kids involved. Children love craft projects, and they’ll feel like they have more input in the holidays beyond asking for what they want from Santa. Let them paint, stamp, and decorate plain boxes, bags and paper and transform it into fun holiday wrappings.

Here are some tips for wrapping gifts the green way:

Use unique reusable items for wrapping paper, such as the comic section of newspapers, pages from magazines, colorful maps or paper you make yourself.

Plain brown or white package paper can be completely transformed with stamps, paint, markers, stickers or anything else you may have laying around the house. Have the kids use finger paint and stamp their little handprints on the paper, which grandparents will love.

Make the present part of the package by wrapping a gift with another gift. Are you giving a blanket as a gift? Put another present inside the blanket, and use the blanket as the wrapping. Tie it with a ribbon, and you are all set. Roll up sweaters, and stick items like socks and underwear inside. Tie gifts up with curtain tiebacks, shoelaces or hair ribbons. That way everything gets used, and nothing gets thrown away.

If you are handy with a needle and thread you could make reusable cloth gift bags to wrap up your green gifts.

If you like the idea of cloth gift bags but can’t stitch to save your life, check out http://www.giftbagsgonegreen.com/ for a nice selection of hand crafted, reusable cloth gift bags.

No time to make creative eco-wrappings? Then make sure you at least purchase wrapping paper that is made from recycled paper or tree free materials.

FishLipsPaperDesigns.com offers a cute selection of wrapping paper made from 100% recycled paper and printed with soy based inks. EarthLoven.com has some snazzy wrapping paper also made from 100% recycled paper and is printed with vegetable based ink.

Interested in learning more about greening the holidays? Check out I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Gifts, Decorations, and Recipes that Use Less and Mean More by Anna Getty. It is full of crafts, recipes, gift ideas and so much more to help you have the best, and greenest, Christmas ever.

Your Guide to Wrapping Green

2011-12-10T14:36:00.001-05:00

This year most people are trying to be more earth conscious but one problem that many come up against at this time of year is how to wrap gifts in an eco-friendly manner.

According to Gift Bags Gone Green every year Americans alone spend more than $5 billion dollars on gift wrap, bags, and tissue paper- and the majority of that ends up in landfills.

Get Creative and Go DIY with Your Green Wrappings

One way to wrap presents greenly is to do reuse what you already have.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of green wrapping you can make use of unique items you have around your home that can be transformed into fun holiday wrapping paper, such as the comic section of newspapers, colorful and unique pages from magazines, old maps or paper you make yourself.

Brown or white package paper can be completely transformed with stamps, paint, markers, stickers or anything else you may have laying around the house. Have the kids use finger paint and stamp their little handprints on the paper. Grandparents are sure to love such heartfelt wrappings.

Plain cardboard boxes and paper bags can also easily be transformed into fun gift bags and boxes with markers, paint, crayons or whatever art supplies you have.

Another great way to integrate green into your gift wrap is to make the present part of the package by wrapping one gift with another gift. Are you giving a blanket as a gift? Put another present inside the blanket, and use the blanket as the wrapping. Tie it with a ribbon, and you are all set. Roll up sweaters, and stick items like socks and underwear inside. Tie gifts up with curtain tiebacks, shoelaces or hair ribbons. That way everything is part of the gift, gets used, and does not get thrown away.

If you are handy with a needle and thread you could make your own reusable cloth gift bags to wrap up your green gifts with any fabric you have on hand, even old t-shirts and blue jeans would make fabulous fabric gift bags.

Reusable Fabric Gift Bags

If you don’t have time to sew your own bags or maybe you just don’t sew consider gift bags and wraps made from fabric.

Fabric gift bags are stylish, beautiful, washable and reusable. There are bags in all sizes, shapes and colors that can be reused over and over again every year.

Gift Bags Gone Green has created fun and funky fabric gift bags that are washable and reusable. They have some very cute holiday prints available.

Small bags start at just $5.99 and extra large bags are $13.49. A whole set of bags that includes one of each size is $45.99. Remember these bags can be used over and over again every year.

www.giftbagsgonegreen.com

Lucky Crow also has some wonderful, reusable cloth gift bag collections including some made from organic cotton. They offer prints and solid colors with plenty suitable for holiday giving.

Extra small bags are $4.49; extra large bags are $13.49.

www.luckycrow.com

Ecorations sell beautiful fabric gift bags, pouches, sacks, and fabric wraps that can be reused year after year. They even offer the giant, 100% organic cotton Santa sack which can hold quite a few gifts.

Pricing starts at just $5.99 and goes up from there.

www.ecorations.com

Wrap it Green

Tied fabric, creative gift boxes, and reusable gift bags are all wonderful eco-ways to save trees and have a fun, green Christmas, but they may lack a little of that old fashioned holiday magic the kids really look forward to.

Nothing says Christmas morning like the sound of wrapping paper being torn from gifts. If you have children you can’t really give up wrapping paper but you can still be green while wrapping gifts in paper. You just have to choose the most eco-friendly wrap possible by choosing companies that make gift wrap from recycled paper with eco-conscious inks.

Fish Lips Paper Designs is an eco-friendly wrapping paper company based in Florida. All of their gift wraps are designed, printed and packaged right here in the USA on 100% DE-INKED recycled paper (with a minimum of 50% PCW) using non-toxic soy inks.

Fish Lips wrapping papers are available for resale in individual sheets (22″ x 33.75″) or “rolls” of 2 sheets.

Retail prices are $4 for a gift wrap sheet and $8 per two sheet roll.

www.fishlipspaperdesigns.com

Earth Presents produces 100% recycled and recyclable gift wrap products. Their wrapping paper and gift tags are made out of 100% post-consumer recycled paper that is processed chlorine free. Vegetable-based inks are used so that the paper is eco friendly and fully recyclable. Matching ribbons and bows are made from recycled plastic bottles!

Gift wrap is $6.00 for two 24" x 36" sheets.

www.earthpresents.com

Earth Love’n Paper Products sell gift wrap and gift tags/cards that are printed on 100% post-consumer waste and processed chlorine free and printed with vegetable based ink. They sell several lovely winter holiday designs including some for Hanukkah.

Two 24x36 inch pieces of paper sell $4.75 for flat sheets, $5.35 for a roll.

www.earthloven.com

Paper Source has a beautiful line of recycled gift wrap. The PS Green Choices line has a cute selection of holiday patterns printed on Eco-White, 100% recycled paper made with a minimum of 30% post-consumer waste.

They also scrap book paper sized sheets and lovely Christmas greeting cards as part of their PS Green Choices line. Wrapping paper sizes and prices are $2.25 for a flat sheet -size - 19 1/2" x 27"and $7.95 for a roll. A roll contains 2 sheets - 26 1/2" x 39"

www.paper-source.com

There are many ways to wrap in eco-style and the most important thing is that you put an eco-conscious effort into making the holidays greener this year.

Regift with Class

2011-12-09T14:34:00.000-05:00

It happens, we all end up receiving a few less than desirable gifts throughout our lives. Maybe it’s that third crock-pot you received as a wedding gift or the fourth toaster for your house warming or maybe it’s the ten millionth holiday coffee mug that found its way to your stocking but most of us all have a few things tucked away in cupboards or closets that we have never used.

With the economy in such a slump and eco-thoughts fully conscious in your mind it is time to rethink the regift.

The key to regifting is to do it with style and class.

First of all don’t regift to the person who originally gave you the gift or at a social function where that original gift giver may be. If the gift is something unique also don’t regift to someone who is in contact with the original gift giver (you wouldn’t want the gifter to see the gift at the new giftee’s home unless you plan on offering full disclosure).

Second, make sure the gift was never used and that it is still in pristine, brand new condition (exceptions are allowed for books, CDs and DVDs that you know someone would really love but they still have to be in good shape). For any appliances or items with multiple parts make sure that all the pieces are there and that the item is still in working condition. You don’t want to give a gift that’s all banged up and missing pieces after being shoved around in your closet, tossed around in the garage or moved from place to place. If it needs batteries put a brand new set in with the gift.

Third, rewrap the gift. Do not ever leave the gift in the same torn wrapping paper that you re-taped or in the same (now) rumpled gift bag it came in . And make sure you put a new tag on it addressing it specifically to the person the gift is for. This cleans it up and makes you put a little thought into it. A gift should always have a bit of a personal touch to it.

Fourth and most importantly, don’t regift just to get rid of something taking up space in your home or so can have a gift to give someone without spending any money. Give the gift to someone who will actually use and/or enjoy the gift. If you know someone needs a toaster or coffee pot then by all means give them the extra appliance that you have in your closet but don’t just give it to someone to get rid of it.

There’s a way to really regift with class- personalize the gift. Make the receiver feel special by letting them know the gift is just for them, that you really thought about it. This could be done by adding little custom things. If it’s a scarf or linens add a bit of custom monogramming. Is it a book? Add a special note in the book for the person who is receiving it. Find some way to add a special touch to the gift so the receiver will feel special.

If you really want to unload some of those unused gifts taking up space, participate in a regifting party, also known as a white elephant exchange. You could even hold it on National Regifting Day which is December 15, 2011 this year. Always a week before Christmas.

There are many ways to have a regifting party. One is to have everyone bring one or two unwrapped gifts and place them on a table. Everyone takes a number and the first number called gets to pick the first gift and it goes on from there until everyone gets a chance to choose a gift

Here are two other ways to have a Regifting Party :

http://regiftable.com/Regifting101/WhiteElephant.aspx

http://www.ehow.com/how_4537571_do-elephant-gift-exchange-holidays.html

Leftover gifts and anything that’s really unwanted by anyone at the party can always be donated to Goodwill, The Salvation Army, or a local shelter. Someone could love it.

To learn more about regifting visit http://regiftable.com/ and make sure to check out ReGifting 101 http://regiftable.com/Regifting101/Default.aspx for a crash course in regiving.

~Written by Wenona Napolitano, author of The Everything Green Wedding Book.
Visit her at www.creativelygreen.blogspot.com or contact her at everythinggreenweddings@yahoo.com

6 Eco- Friendly Holiday Cards

2011-12-06T15:50:00.001-05:00

This weekend I am sitting down to address my Christmas cards and get them ready to be mailed out.

This year I’m not sending out a whole lot of cards; these days I send a lot of electronic greetings to those who I have email addresses for. However for family and people whose emails I don’t have I still send old fashioned greetings along with photos of the kids.

I do try to opt for the more eco-friendly greeting cards by choosing those made from recycled paper or even tree free paper.

Wondering where you can snag some eco-greetings? Check out these Earth-friendly finds.

1. My Good Greetings

My Good Greetings offers beautifully designed custom photo cards,invitations and stationary printed on 100% recycled, carbon neutral paper which is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified. They use 100% digital short-run presses which significantly reduce paperwaste and emit 90% less Volatile Organic Compounds.

This is the first company that I know of that offered eco-friendly photo greeting cards. You can upload your own photos and create beautiful photo greeting cards on eco-friendly paper.

2. Doodle Greetings

All Doodle Greetings cards are made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper, are chlorine-free, and are made with renewable energy.

Doodle Greetings has a wide variety of fun greeting cards for any occasion including the winter holidays. Make sure to check them out if you want holiday greeting cards that are really earth friendly and “green”.

3. Tiny Prints

Tiny Prints has gone green. They recently announced that 100% of their products and packaging now feature eco-friendly recycled paper. From beautiful stationery to the eco-friendly, green invitations -all of Tiny Prints cards and invitations feature luxurious recycled paper.

4. Paper Source

Paper Source has a line of products that are PS Green Choices, all of these products contain at least 30% post consumer recycled paper. They sell green choices decorative and scrap book papers as well as wrapping paper in addition to their holiday greeting cards.

5. Night Owl Papergoods

I am a sucker for the “modern yet folksy” style of Night Owl Paper Goods. Plus I love the owls. They have some very awesome designs and greeting cards including cards that are printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper. They also have cards printed on eco-harvested wood. Very adorable and unique.

Handmade Holidays: Free Printables

2011-12-06T15:35:00.003-05:00

Printables are awesome because you get gorgeous designs that you can print right from home and you can choose what kind of paper to print on. Go eco and print on paper and card stock made from post consumer recycled paper content, or even use the blank side of scrap paper and junk mail to print gift tags and crafty projects on.

Here is a roundup of some of the best holiday printables on the web.

Family Fun has a huge selection of kid friendly printables that include everything from ornaments and tree toppers to cards and gift tags.

Melissa Esplin has loads of crafty ideas and tutorials including her annual Christmas candy box template. She provides tutorials and free downloads. I like the 2007 design best.

WestElm even has a great selection of holiday themed printables. Some sets include tags and recipe cards, while others include place cards, name tags and menus.

The Creature Comforts Blog is another must stop site for crafters. I love all the freebies and downloadable designs offered. This winter birds gift tag set is quite adorable.

They also have cute, red and photo tags and cards for download.

If you love owls My Owl Barn is a blog to follow. They have links to the best owl stuff, along with owl crafts and free printables. For the holidays they have a couple of different styles of free owl gift tags , owl gift wrap and anowl calendar for 2011 that you can save and print for free.

Five Christmas Ornaments You Can Make with Scrap Yarn

2011-12-06T03:29:00.001-05:00

Ever since I discovered Lion Brand, it has become one of my go-to places for free craft patterns. All of their patterns use yarn but not all of them require you to be able to knit or crochet. The best part is the patterns are all free.

Here are five ornaments you can easily make with the scrap yarn you’re sure to have lying around the house.

1. Festive Santa

This festive little Santa ornament is a cutie. It’s an easy crochet pattern most beginners could make.

2. Amigurumi Santa

If you want a Santa with more detail try the Amigurumi Santa. It’s also labeled as an easy pattern. Learn how-to make other amigurumi with The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi.

3. Snowman Ornament

Snowmen are always welcome decorations in my winter home and I just love this sparkling snowman holiday ornament. Isn’t he cute?

4. Amigurumi Snowman Ornament

Here’s another snowman ornament, the amigurumi snowman. I think I like the other one better.

5. No Stitches Required

For the non-crocheter and non-knitter here’s a couple yarn ornaments for you.

Which yarn ornaments are you planning to make? Please share in the comments.

5x7 Folded Card

2011-11-30T16:45:00.001-05:00

Joyful Joyful Holiday Card

Click here to browse Shutterfly's holiday card collection.

View the entire collection of cards.

Get Crafty with I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas by Anna Getty

2011-11-29T15:42:00.001-05:00

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Gifts, Decorations, and Recipes that Use Less and Mean More by Anna Getty is a great book that covers how to green Christmas better than any other book I’ve read on the subject in the way that if offers tons of hands-on advice and projects, and that’s what I love most- the DIY projects and crafts.

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas is full of tips, expert advice, crafts, recipes, decorating ideas and pretty much everything you need to make the holidays more eco-friendly.

The holidays are always a little bit stressful no matter how well you plan or prepare. When money is an issue it can get really stressful. One thing I really adore about I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas is that so many of the crafts for gifts and decorations are made with items I have lying around the house. So I can make decorations and gifts without spending a dime.

This book is really filled with crafty DIYs, projects and decorating ideas. It could almost be listed as a craft book there’s so much in it.

The crafts I love the most are the: decorated matchboxes (page 70-71), the salt dough ornaments (page 90-91) these are so very country Christmas I love them, the old fashioned cranberry and popcorn garland (page 104-105), the cute little twig stars (page 106-107), t-shirt potholders (page 134-135) of course I’ll pass this on to my mom since I don’t sew, the vintage button clutch (page 136-137), and the bottle cap refrigerator magnets that are so super cute for kids to make (pages 142-143).

And the recipes sound so yummy: roasted acorn squash soup with Parmesan and crispy sage, stuffed mushrooms, artichoke dip with baked pita chips, mini apple strudels with brown sugar whipped cream (my mouth is really watering over that one), pumpkin gnocchi with browned sage butter, pumpkin butter and tamari roasted pumpkin seeds, chai hot cocoa with whipped cream (have to try that one)…and so many more.

These items listed above are just a sampling of the crafts and recipes this book has to offer in addition to all the amazing advice that doesn’t preach but offers honest and traditional old fashioned style charm to help return Christmas to the love and joy that it originally was.

This book can help you have the type of Christmas you’ve always dreamed of without the stress, hassle and worry of commercial sparkle and false joy. Plus it’ll help you craft a green holiday season like never before.

Two Moons of Sera Cyber Monday Giveaway

2011-11-28T06:34:00.000-05:00

In the prize packs:

A print copy of 2MOS

A canvas bag

A Pavarti T-Shirt

A copy of Hush Hush in one Fallen in the other

Shadow on the Wall Collectible Magnet

Shadow on the Wall Note Cards

Fighting Monkey Press Note Pad

Shadow on the Wall promotional post card

2 prize packs (photos above) and 5 ebook copies of Two Moons of Sera are being given away

Physical prize packs open to US Shipping Only

Fill out the form here or below

Two Moons of SeraBy Pavarti K Tyler

Two Moons of Sera Synopsis:

In a world where water and earth teem with life, Serafay is an anomaly. The result of genetic experiments on her mother's water-borne line Serafay will have to face the very people responsible to discover who she really is.

But is she the only one?

YouTube Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/24coIZ96Qlg

Get the book at Amazon and Smashwords

Two Moons Music Playlist:

http://grooveshark.com/playlist/Two+Moons+Of+Sera/58380416

About the Author

Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and number-cruncher who has been committed to causing trouble since her first moment on this Earth. Her eclectic career has flirted with Broadway, Teaching, Law Firms and the IRS. Author of many short stories, Pavarti spans genres from Horror and Erotica all the way to Fantasy. Currently Pavarti is hard at work establishing her Indie Publishing Company Fighting Monkey Press.

Pavarti K Tyler's novel Two Moons of Sera is a Fantasy/Romance and will be released in a serial format beginning this fall. Her next novel Shadow on the Wall is scheduled for release in early 2012. Shadow on the Wall is Book One of The SandStorm Chronicles, the saga of Recai Osman — businessman, philosopher, Muslim and . . . superhero.

Find Pavarti at: Blog FaceBook Twitter Tumblr GoodReads G+

Holiday Crafts Roundup

2011-11-27T15:25:00.003-05:00

Nothing says the holidays like handmade goodies and the web is filled with fun, amazing, easy and sometimes green ideas. Many of the crafts can easily be made eco-friendly by using items you already have on hand or switching items out for more eco-friendly supplies.

Here are some of my favorite holiday crafts that I’ve spotted:

This Christmas table display found at Better Homes and Gardens is bright and cheerful and so easy to make. You take Christmas bulb ornaments and place them in a square glass vessel then tie with a ribbon. Voila! Very pretty and pretty easy.

Also possibly very green. I know I have ribbon, extra Christmas ball ornaments and maybe even a glass dish lying around somewhere.

Here’s another gorgeous example of a holiday craft that can be made green. What crafty chick doesn’t have a jar full of buttons somewhere? I know I do and I don’t even sew, but I love buttons. And this button tree is absolutely adorable.

This one also came from Better Homes and Gardens. You’ll find plenty of other festive and easy holiday craft ideas there. Including some great ideas for DIY holiday wall art.

Here’s another easy DIY holiday idea that has the potential to be green. Aframed Christmas tree made from ornaments, a picture frame and some wire. I know I have an unused frame and extra Christmas bulb ornaments that could quickly be turned into something similar to the photo above.

Better Homes and Gardens has a whole section of quick DIY holiday wall art to make.

AllYou.com also has a great roundup of handmade holiday crafts including this cute button wreath. It’ll match the button tree. I can see I’ll be decorating with buttons this year.

AllYou.com also has a section for no fuss holiday decorations that are easy to make, like this ornament topiary.

Review of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi

2011-11-26T15:18:00.001-05:00

Are you enchanted by the shapes that can be created if you fold paper in a certain way? Origami is a fun craft that can keep you (or a child) busy for hours. My eleven year old daughter fell in love with origami when she learned how-to make it in an after school program.

Now with a copy of The World’s Best Origami by Nick Robinson on our book shelf, she has access to over a hundred new designs that she can explore and create.

From the swan that has enchanted so many in restaurants to all sorts of fun shapes like animals, fish, birds, flowers and a long stemmed rose, tulips, frogs and even Santa. There are also origami designs for envelopes, french fry bags, a party hat, a holiday card and a ring. Many of us ladies have been presented a ring by a crafty suitor in the past, haven’t we? Those guys probably never even knew any other origami design.

Origami is a great way to use scrap paper, junk mail and other excess paper you have lying around. It’s an art form that can be fun and useful and is perfect for the kids to experiment with.

The World’s Best Origami has over 100 designs to try and they are giving my daughter a lot of frustration but she keeps at it. I think her favorite design is howling at the moon on page 79. This is the design she really wants to master since she loves wolves. The end result should look like a silhouette of a wolf howling at a big moon. She’s getting there but it’s not perfect yet. I bet after Christmas vacation it will be.

I personally tried some of the origami designs and they proved to be too frustrating for me. I craft to create and relax. I love crafts that I can escape into. Origami isn’t in my zen zone. But my daughter loves it so I passed the book onto her. Her only complaint is she wishes the final origami designs were shown in full color. The step by step directions are great but she would love to see a finished product that is more than just a drawn diagram.

Other than that the book is great. It literally shows every step, every fold, every move you need to make the origami creations.

Five Crafty Christmas Tree Alternatives

2011-11-26T03:20:00.002-05:00

Some hardcore environmentalists are giving up on the debate of real versus fake trees and opting for no tree at all. Have you ditched the Christmas tree in order to help save the environment?

Maybe this year you could consider a faux tree. No, I’m not talking about an artificial tree made from PVC and all kinds of nasty chemicals. I’m talking about a handmade tree made from scraps, upcycled materials and art supplies. Here are five more crafty alternatives to inspire your own Christmas creativity.

1. Soda Can Tree

First we’ll start with the most extreme handmade Christmas tree I stumbled across: it is made from empty Mountain Dew cans!

Perhaps a bit too much work for the average person but you have to admire the creativity and the end result is quite stunning

2. Yarn Tree

Over at Lion Brand they have quite a few free Christmas craft patterns including this one for a yarn tree. No knitting or crocheting required.

This is a small tree but if you have a lot of yarn you could make a bigger one. You could even take the same basic idea and instead of wrapping with yarn, try wrapping with scraps of fabric, old scarves, ribbon or a mixture of several types of fabric and even string to make a fabulously textured tree.

3. Wood Tree

Here’s a creative Christmas tree made from plywood. I wouldn’t use real candles on it like they did in the photo (hello fire hazard!) but the tree is kinda cute.

I also found this beautiful pattern for a wood Christmas tree. Check outCraftIdeas.info for the pattern.

4. Wine Bottle Tree

There’s no tutorial for this one but I had to show you this a wine bottle tree (or is it beer bottles?). Either way, wow that’s a lot of bottles!

5. Tomato Cage Tree

Another DIY Christmas tree tutorial I found is this video that demonstrates how to turn a tomato cage (I have tons of these) into a tree

This could be fun.

What about you? Have you decided between a real or fake tree? Or a more alternative version?

Review of Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Creams

2011-11-07T15:22:00.000-05:00

Pain relief no longer has to be greasy or stinky.

When I was young whenever someone had a muscle ache my mom would pull out the BenGay or some similar stinky ointment that smelled like a wintergreen factory blew up. It was smelly, it usually felt greasy, and the tingles would make you cold then hot.

It was not good. I hated using the stuff.

Even with all the technology this icy hot, smelly stuff is still what's used for topical treatment of muscles aches and pains.

Now Topricin offers a new natural solution, without the stink, without the icy hot tingles, and without the greasiness.

Too good to be true?

That's what I thought.

My younger years were spent in dance classes, gymnastics, and various other physical activities (like tree climbing- don't ask but it was something I loved to do) so my knees and feet have suffered- especially now that I'm older and the hereditary arthritis is trying to set in to all those joints that suffered multiple injuries, pulls and strains.

I would not use the stinky smelly muscle creams. Hated them.

Then I was offered the chance to review Topricin products.

One night I gave it a shot. I used the foot therapy cream (which is safe for diabetics) on my aching feet and rubbed the regular topricin on my knees.

I didn't feel anything. No tingling. No stink. No hot or cold.

It was just like putting on boy lotion.

So I doubted it's effectiveness.

But then the pain started to go away.

I felt relief.

RELIEF!

I was amazed- all natural, safe and effective.

I'm hooked for life now.

Topricin is going to be a permanent fixture in my medicine cabinet.

They even have Topricin Junior for kids and the Boo Boos Happen Topricin Junior First Aid Kit.

Learn more about Topricin at their website:http://www.topricin.com/

Topricin® Is The Natural Choice

Once you discover the power of Topricin® to manage and in many cases banish pain, you'll want to share this with everyone you know. Whether it's pain from an injury, inflammation or an everyday annoying pain, Topricin® is the answer. Its natural formula is free from the kinds of additives found in many other pain relievers such as menthol and capsaicin (both these substances can result in uncomfortable burning and tingling sensations). Odor free, non-greasy and free from artificial dyes, Topricin® is safe for everyone, including children, pregnant women and the elderly

Soy-Gel: A Must Have for Furniture Refinishing

2011-11-07T13:43:00.001-05:00

If you want to refinish furniture in an effective and eco-friendly way then you need Soy-Gel. I first discovered Soy-gel when watching tv a couple of years ago. Since then I haven’t used anything else for paint and finishremoval.

Soy-gel is made from soybeans by Franmar Chemical and works way better than all the stinky, nasty stuff you find in the hardware stores. And it works without all the toxic checmicals and odor. My husband and I were able to use it in our basement without stinking up the whole house. (For safety you should still crack a window but honestly I didn’t smell a thing and I have the nose of a Bloodhound).

We’ve used Soy-gel on curbside find furniture we’ve rescued and on a dresser that we discovered in my basement that had decades of finishes, dirt, and grime on it. I have a few more projects I plan to use it on so I need to order another batch.

Spring is here along with spring cleaning. Now’s the time to pick up salvageable furniture finds on the side of the road that people throw out. Don’t worry about extreme refinishing those finds and say goodbye to scraping, sanding and painstaking hours of stripping finishes and say hello to Soy-gel. It makes furniture refinishing easier, quicker and safer.

Review of Tanda Zap Acne Clearing Device

2011-11-06T14:57:00.000-05:00

Description of product from website:

clears individual acne blemishes fast

Clinically proven to clear or fade acne blemishes within 24 hours

The first and only device that puts the power of three proven technologies at your fingertips, it combines the same powerful blue light technology used by dermatologists with sonic vibration and gentle warming to give you clinically proven clearing results.

No pain. No irritation. No dryness. And best of all no pimple.

How it works:

Blue Light: 414nm blue light works by producing oxygen singlets which attach to the P.acnes bacteria (acne-causing bacteria). These singlets have a phototoxic effect on key porphorins, causing the P.acnes bacteria to self-destruct

Sonic vibration: Increases microcirculation to reduce swelling and inflammation while agitating the skin to expose more of the bacteria to the light

Gentle warming: Produced by the light energy, opens pores and allows the light to reach more bacteria

My Review:

I honestly don't know if the Tanda Zap made a difference.I really wanted it to work but I didn't see a significant change either way.

When I used it on pimples they didn't seem to clear up any faster than normal.

However my son used it and said it worked great. So maybe it's just me. Maybe I expected too much.

I don't know, I really wanted it to work.

I've read about the Blue Light treatment dermatologists use- but it's supposed to kill bacteria and prevent acne not just kill acne that's already developed. I was hoping that's what this light would do, so I even gave it a go that way, using it on clear skin to help keep it clear- still didn't see any real difference. Occasionally a pimple would still appear no different than without using it.

So my review is neither good nor bad- I can't say it worked but I can't say it didn't, but my 19 year old son said it did.

So I guess it's up for you to determine if the Tanda Zap acne clearing device works for you.

Review of Slice Of Life Adult Chewable Vitamins

2011-11-05T15:07:00.003-04:00

Do you know you should take vitamins yet swallowing pills is something you just can't do?

Slice of Life has the solution.

The best tasting chewable vitamins for adults ever created.

These delicious little gummie slices taste amazing while being full of all the vitamins and nutrients you need- with no gigantic pills to swallow.

My husband hates taking pills- absolutely hates it. But when I received these delicious vitamins to review he even took his vitamins regularly. I couldn't keep them in the cabinet- even my teenager was finally taking vitamins regularly.

Slice of Life also has yummy bears for kids.

Check them out at SliceOfLife.com

Looking for the Perfect Holiday Gift? Easy Canvas Prints Has What You Need

2011-11-05T14:41:00.005-04:00

I had the chance to try East Canvas Prints for myself to see how easy it really is to take your favorite photo and put it on a high quality canvas.

I choose two of my favorite photos of the kids when they were little. I scanned the photos, uploaded to easy canvas prints, cropped and edited just how I wanted the photo to look, got to choose embellishments like wrap around photo that folds over the edge of the canvas or a colored "frame" .

The process was super user friendly- very easy to upload and design.

And the results- WOW.

I'm giving these canvas photos to my husband for Christmas, he's going to love them.

They'll be the perfect gifts.

Try it for yourself, take a favorite photo and put it on canvas, you won't be disappointed.

Check them out EasyCanvasPrints.com

You won't be disappointed

2011-10-22T15:15:00.003-04:00

I adore Night Owl Paper Goods adorable designs, especially the whimsical owls- and the fact that they are eco-friendly is icing on the cake.

Night Owl Paper Goods' eco-chic, incredibly unique birch wood holiday cards are now available in over 50 brand new designs, including even more of your favorite patterns, critters and cars.

In addition, all of their designs are now available in paper. They're festively fun and great for every budget!

Take a peek!

And they just announced an incredible Early Bird Special—A 20% discount on all Personalized Holiday Cards PLUS free domestic, ground shipping on all orders $49+ good through October 26..

Giveaway: 100 Postcards from Uprinting

2011-10-15T11:48:00.003-04:00

I use Uprinting.com for almost all of my printing needs. They are one of the best online printing companies I have come across.

I've created gorgeous postcards for writing and business promotion, bookmarks, stickers, bookplates and more. Their selection is fabulous and the process is easy. You can download templates for easy design or even use the online design tool right at their site that is filled with stock photos and images for extremely easy design and creative customization.

Today Uprinting is offering a great giveaway-

1 lucky winner will receive 100 5x7 postcards

The cards are printed on 14pt Cardstock Gloss

They are flat- No Folding

Front Only Printing

(which leaves the back open for handwritten notes,

labels or stickers to be added-

or you can use as a traditional postcard-

write a note, address and mail them out)

2 Business Days Print Turnaround Time *

Free Shipping

Limited to US residents 18 years old and above only

The postcards can be used for multiple purposes from book or business promo,

to invitations for special events- event Christmas cards.

The holidays are coming up- you could easily design

a fun Christmas card to send to friends and family.

To enter this giveaway please leave a comment

on this post with your email address

Be sure to like UPrinting on Facebook

and follow on Twitter

And if you'd like to host your own giveaways

you can sign up at GiveawayBlogs.com

A winner will be announced October 20

Disclaimer Required as per FTC Ruling
This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given. I will receive the same postcard prize offered for hosting this giveaway.

Tin Pail Transformations: Two Tutorials

2011-10-06T15:19:00.000-04:00

Tin pails can show up anywhere. They used to be quite popular. Now you can find them in thrift stores, at yard sales, at Goodwill and maybe even in your garage or attic.

Tin pails can be decorated in so many ways. It’s all up to your imagination and style. I decorated these two with wedding in mind but I am trying to find a couple more to redo with Christmas colors and accents.

I think little pails make clever and cute reusable gift containers. Forget about bags and boxes, hand painted pails will make any gift seem extra special.

Supplies Needed:

An old tin/metal pail with a handle
Fine grit sandpaper
Spray paint in your color of choice
Clear coat spray to protect your design
Paper
Decoupage glue
Ribbon
Lace
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Scissors
Sponge
Sponge paint brush
Flat container of water
Clothespins (optional) for holding lace or ribbon in place while the glue is drying

Green Options:

You are breathing new life into an old pail, that’s super green.
Consider using low VOC spray paint like Krylon’s H2O line
Natural or biodegradable ribbon
Vintage or organic lace
Recycled or tree free paper

Directions for Decoupage Pail:

Start by selecting a pail that is in decent shape. You don’t want to deal with rust or dents unless you absolutely have to
If your pail has any labels or stickers remove them
Gently sand the pail so paint will stick to it
Spray paint it in your color choice
Let the paint dry
Select the papers you want to use, test a corner by getting it wet to make sure the ink doesn’t run. For this pail I used vintage wedding images that were printed on photo paper with an ink jet printer. It’s best not to use real photographs or actual vintage ephemera. Make copies of everything and print on new paper. This way you don’t damage the originals and if you make a mistake you can make more.
Cut out your design and start placing it on your pail. Play with around with the placement.
If you have pieces of lace or ribbon to add, play with the placement of those as well.
For the pail pictured, I used a metallic gold spray paint, a piece of vintage lace, and copies of vintage postcards. I glued the lace on with decoupage glue and water and held it in place with clothespins while it dried. I placed the images around the bucket after gluing on the lace.
To decoupage paper, dip the paper in a flat container of water, pull it out and shake off excess water, use a sponge paint brush to cover the back of the paper with decoupage glue
Place the paper where you want it and smooth out excess glue and water with a slightly damp sponge. Hold on tight to the paper to keep it in place while gently yet firmly smoothing the sponge over it.
Repeat this for every piece of paper you want to add to it.
Let it dry over night and see how it turns out. If everything is good, let it settle for a few days before clear coating it.
If something is wrinkled or just messed up, you can peel and sand everything off and start over then try a different type of paper that doesn’t wrinkle or tear as easily.

Directions for Pink Bucket:

Select paint and ribbon in your choice of colors
Sand pail gently
Spray paint in a well ventilated area. It may need two or three coats to get good coverage
Let paint dry overnight
Cut out your ribbon at least an inch or two longer than you’ll actually need that way you have some play to work with when attaching it
Grab your glue gun and glue sticks and start attaching your ribbon just a little bit at a time or the glue will dry before you get there
Start by one handle and work all the way around to the other handle. This way you never end up with a seam right in the front of your pail
When you get to the end, match up your seams and cut off the excess before gluing the final strip down

I'm in Candle in the Attic Window

2011-10-05T15:13:00.001-04:00

I am honored that my work appears in a colelction with the likes of Leanna Renee Hieber and amny other amazing authors of horror and gothic fiction.

Book Description:

Gothic fiction is neither dead nor musty. Twenty-seven poems and stories bring fresh blood to the genre, while drawing from old tropes.

Welcome to our little house of horrors, where a movie crew searches for a legendary missing film, a woman seeks to reunite with her dead lover, a lodger discovers something peculiar about the landlady, a tarot deck brings death, and ghosts may be cruel or benevolent.

The power has gone out and all that remains is the glow of a flickering candle. Come up into the attic and uncover some secrets.

Stories and poems by: Don D’Ammassa, Jesse Bullington, James S. Dorr, Leanna Renee Hieber, Paul Jessup, Ann K. Schwader, E. Catherine Tobler, Colleen Anderson, and many more.

It's Easy to Go Green for Halloween

2011-09-30T14:02:00.000-04:00

How easy it is to celebrate green

Busy parents need greening to be simple. Whatever the choice may be (goodies, costumes, décor, etc.), adding an eco-friendly twist shouldn’t increase stress and chaos to an already hectic holiday season. But making healthy and green choices is, in fact, easier than it seems. The key is thinking (and acting) outside the conventional candy box.

1. Plan ahead. Halloween is a fairly last minute holiday, resulting in a lot of knee-jerk choices that aren’t good for kids or the planet. But if you make a habit of thinking ahead, you can find exactly what you want while saving time, energy and reducing stress. One idea is to create a reoccurring appointment in your calendar for each October 1^st. Decide what you are going to give away this year and, if necessary, order it online or pick it up. If you have the bandwidth to coordinate with a few friends or co-workers, you can save money by buying online, splitting the quantities and dividing the shipping charges. If the recycled plastic tops or eco-themed temporary tattoos are a hit, make it easier on yourself by giving the same thing away next year. (Make your green goodies a tradition.)

2. Take a different road. Who said goodies have to be bought at grocery stores? Most of us run out to the grocery store the night before Halloween to pick up that 10 pound bag of candy (or two), but what if we realized that great, green goodies can be found elsewhere, too? What about picking up some seeds while you’re at the nursery? Or some cool glass beads when you drive by the art supply store? Playing cards with magic tricks, recipes and Halloween jokes can be found at bookstores and toy stores. Lots of ideas for “treasures” can be found here.

3. Include the kids. Going green is a family affair, so make it easier on yourself and include the kids by asking for their ideas. When they’re involved from the get-go, they’re more like to stay involved and to have positive attitudes.

4. Relax. Going green isn’t an all or nothing deal and busy moms have a lot on their minds and plates. So start with simple green steps that will work for your family this year. You can always add more the next time around. Holidays should be about the fun, not about the stress. Even green choices, if stressful, won’t be sustainable over the long haul.

Other ideas:

The loot

· When it comes to which goodies to hand out, take a cue from doing laundry. Why? What “treasures” do your kids stash in their pockets? Polished rocks, feathers, seashells, and other items from nature are timeless treats for children of all ages. (And we’ve polled thousands of kids – toddlers to teens – who say goodies like these get two thumbs up!)

· No matter what goodies you give away, give just one (instead of handfuls). When we were kids, most of us received one treat and each door, but now everything is supersized – including trick-or-treating. Giving away just one of something is easy to do, costs you less and is better for children and the planet. And here’s a tip: Place goodies in a bowl and let kids know - with barely contained enthusiasm - that they can choose just one really special treat. When you do, something magical will happen. The kids will get excited about picking that one perfect treasure – more excited than if they had received a handful.

· Many stores have healthier options for Halloween, but they might not know it (or market them as such). Take a quick stroll through the aisles and consider treats and treasures such as: Larbars, honey or agave sticks (may cost as little as 5-10 cents apiece), Stretch Island fruit leathers, all natural gum (like Glee Gum), or mini packs of all natural or organic crackers, granola or granola bars, cookies, or dried fruit. For treasures, stickers, bookmarks and pencils all made from recycled materials. Click here for a big list of ideas.

· If you want to give out candy, consider organic options such as Endangered Species “Bug Bites” and look for candy in bulk. While still made with sugar, organic and all natural ingredients are better for children and growing foods organically is better for the planet and the people who grow them. Companies such as Surf Sweets sell organic candy with low price points.

Costumes

· Go green, save time and money by shopping for your child’s costume at a consignment or thrift shop such as Goodwill.

· Celebrate National Costume Swap Day^™ (www.CostumeSwapDay.com). Have a lunchtime costume exchange with co-workers who are parents, or with your church, after a weekend soccer game or combine it with a ladies night.

· Set the timer and let your kids go on a hunt through the house looking for Halloween costume components. (Be sure to tell them if any parts of the house are off limits). Let their imaginations fly. Instead of being a superhero or television character, the might just want to flex their creative muscles and be something unique.

· If buying, look for costumes made from petroleum-free fabrics that are less likely to contain phthalates, lead or other toxins.

· For the goody bag – use something you already own that goes with their costume. A chef can carry a bowl, a mountain climber a backpack, a princess a purse, football player a helmet, etc. Or go with the adorably eco, keepsake, reusable Green Halloween^®trick-or-treat ChicoBag^®.

Décor

· Instead of buying petroleum based or disposable décor items, think about using items from nature such as pumpkins, gourds, hay, etc. When you’re done, simply toss them into your yard waste bin (if allowed in your area) or compost. Or buy items that are recycled, upcycled, handcrafted or ethically sourced (e.g. Fair Trade) such as those found here.

· Candles are a popular Halloween décor item, but paraffin is an unsustainable product and contributes to poor indoor air quality. Instead choose 100% beeswax candles (available at most health food stores in a rainbow of colors, shapes and sizes). They burn cleaner and longer and don’t make as much of a mess. They also smell naturally sweet.

· Instead of buying décor for the entire lawn, consider decorating just the doorway. Go simple in the house, too, by choosing one area to spruce up. Focusing and simplifying will save time, money and resources.

· At the end of the holiday, pack reusable décor away carefully so that it stays in good shape and can be used for years to come. (Remember, when it comes to holidays, reusing=traditions.) While it may take some extra effort at clean up time, doing so will save money, time and resources in the long run.

Party food

· Don’t make food ahead, instead, make it an activity. Here are a few ideas that are easy and fun to make (not to mention healthy and high on the ‘yum’ scale):

o Pumpkin smoothies

o Pumpkin seed “gorp”

o Halloween pizzas (use pre-made, whole wheat crusts and have available orange, black and green veggies to customize)

o Halloween-ka-bobs (let kids make their own with Halloween colored foods)

Putting some green into your Halloween does not have to be difficult or costly. In the continuum of being green, all families can hop on board! You can start wherever you are. For example, if your family eats organic and shops mostly locally, Green Halloween offers additional ways you can make your holiday even healthier and more green with tips even seasoned health-conscious parents will find useful. If your family has yet to try healthy alternatives, this is a great year to start. The Green Halloween website (www.GreenHalloween.org) offers even green-newbies fun, easy and affordable ways to start new holiday traditions your whole family will enjoy. Being a part of Green Halloween means trying one new tradition–or trying them all. By going green for just one part of your Halloween, you’ll be making a difference you and your family can be proud of.
~Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter founders of Green Halloween^® and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

Why Go Green for Halloween

2011-09-29T13:59:00.001-04:00

Importance of being green on Halloween

Halloween is big on fun but, unfortunately, it’s also big on unhealthy traditions and waste. Many moms worry about the impact of this holiday on the health of their kids and the planet. And for good reason. Almost $6 billion a year is spent on costumes, candy, décor and other accessories, most of which are made from unhealthy, unsustainable materials, by people who may not be paid living wages or treated fairly. Most of the stuff – what isn’t consumed - winds up in landfills. And scary news about high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, lead laden accessories just fuel parent’s concerns.

But our goal is to show families that it’s easy and affordable to keep the fun, while losing the unhealthy, un-Earth-friendly traditions. It’s not about telling parents how they should celebrate – it’s about inspiring them to make choices that make sense to their families, their budgets and their schedules. And when many families make healthier and more sustainable choices for Halloween – taking even the smallest of steps – big impacts can be made for the short and long term.

Here are a few of the “spooky statistics” that might fuel your desire to help change the way you celebrate Halloween:

Today’s trick-or-treaters have a life expectancy that is shorter than their parents.
Today’s trick-or-treaters have a life expectancy that is shorter than their parents.
· One in three trick-or-treaters born today will develop diabetes.
· One-third of America’s trick-or-treaters are overweight; 17% are considered obese.

EPA considers that 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides and 30% of all insecticides found in non-organically grown food- including “goodies” - are carcinogenic.

Over 6,000 synthetic chemicals are used in the processed-food industry. Most Halloween “treats” are processed.

A 2004 study with 1800 three year old children found that behavior measurably improved after a one week diet without preservatives and artificial colors and dramatically worsened on the weeks they were given preservatives and artificial colors (present in most Halloween candy).

· Coco beans used for chocolate that are grown in full sun (as opposed to shade) are susceptible to disease and therefore require heavy doses of toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
· The chocolate industry has engaged in the use of child slaves and other unethical treatments of growers.
· Store-bought costumes, makeup and accessories may contain phthalates, lead and other toxins.
· One test of multiple brands of face paints found detectible levels of lead in all of them. (According to experts there are NO safe levels of lead).

· Coco beans used for chocolate that are grown in full sun (as opposed to shade) are susceptible to disease and therefore require heavy doses of toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
· The chocolate industry has engaged in the use of child slaves and other unethical treatments of growers.
· Store-bought costumes, makeup and accessories may contain phthalates, lead and other toxins.
· One test of multiple brands of face paints found detectible levels of lead in all of them. (According to experts there are NO safe levels of lead).

For more “why’s” of Green Halloween^®, click here

.~Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter founders of Green Halloween^® and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

Celebrate an “eek-o-friendly” Halloween!

2011-09-28T13:54:00.003-04:00

Celebrate an “eek-o-friendly” Halloween!

Halloween is a holiday heavy on sugar, not to mention waste, but what if it didn’t have to be? And what if a healthy and eco-friendly Halloween could still be fun?

It can! And it’s easy, too.

Meet Green Halloween^®, the non-profit, grassroots revolution sweeping the country, giving Halloween a child-friendly, Earth-considerate makeover that everyone can feel good about.

How can you help?

By making simple changes in your own traditions and encouraging others to do the same.

Which ideas on this list inspire you?

· Instead of giving away conventional candy, consider items such as pencils made from recycled newsprint, temporary tattoos sporting eco-savvy themes, or 100% fruit leathers. Even organic lollipops are better for children and the planet and some come in compostable wrappers. Dozens of ideas here.

· Instead of buying a costume this year, see if you can make one out of materials you have lying around your house, can borrow from a friend or can find at a thrift store. Or, participate in National Costume Swap Day^™and host a costume swap with your neighbors.

· Decorate your front lawn, porch and home with items from nature. Pumpkins, gourds and hay are all great, green items that can be composted when November 1st rolls around. Ideas here.

· Save candy wrappers and instead of tossing them, turn them into treasures. Check the Internet for cool ways you can upcycle candy wrappers into bracelets, purses, picture frames and more.

For more practical, affordable and fun ways to make your Halloween eco-fabulous, visit www.GreenHalloween.org.
~Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter founders of Green Halloween^® and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

2011-09-27T16:41:00.000-04:00

I am trying to figure out new greenie Halloweenie crafts to create this year.

I grabbed an ice cream pail and painted it orange and black for Halloween. I want to find some crafty Halloween paper designs to cut out to decoupage to the pail to dress it up a little more.

I was thinking about wrapping it in scrap book paper but I had no Halloween colors or styles. But I think it turned out pretty good considering it started out as a plain white pail headed for the recycling bin. I would love to make a Halloween bucket with paper like I did when I turned an ice cream pail into a flower girl basket for a wedding.

I also saved a few smoothie bottles from the bin and painted them black and added orange ribbon with the help of my hot glue gun. They’ll make cute little Halloween vases either for flowers or maybe for ghost wrapped lollipops.

I am still brainstorming to see what other green Halloween ideas I can come up with. Stay tuned for more crazy Halloween craftiness.

25 Green Halloweenâ tips

2011-09-27T13:58:00.000-04:00

25 Green Halloween^â tips

Halloween is meant to be enjoyed, but somewhere in between “planning” and “cleanup,” many parents find themselves feeling overwhelmed. It might seem that attempting to consider the Earth while planning a great ghoulish party is just too much work and way too expensive. Some fear it might even zap the fun right out of the day. But creating an eco-savvy Halloween doesn’t have to be scary, nor does it have to cost an arm and a leg when you follow these pointers:

Consider your costumes. The truth is many store-bought costumes and accessories contain toxic chemicals that not only are a potential hazard to your child, but also to the environment and the people who helped to make them. Choose fabrics such as cotton, wool and silk or make costumes yourself from materials you know to be safe.

Go au natural. When decorating your home for Halloween, skip the plastic black cats and paper skeleton streamers made in China. Instead, use décor inspired by Mother Earth by choosing fallen leaves, gourds or pumpkins, and 100% beeswax candles.

Trim your trick-or-treats. Hand out less ________ (fill in the blank). Preferably your goodies of choice are healthy and/or Earth-friendly, but even if they’re not, handing out just one (rather than the conventional handful) of something is better for kids, better for the planet and better for your bank account.

Apply the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) to all of your holiday choices: costumes, décor, goodies, etc. Of the 3 R’s, reducing is the best for the Earth, our wallets and, in regard to food, our waistlines. Rent, borrow, swap, make or acquire used, when possible, to avoid buying new, especially disposables.

Choose eek-o-décor. Say ‘no’ to disposables and instead, re-use or re-purpose items you already own. Look also for items from nature and don’t forget to decorate with food (consumable décor). If you must use disposables, look for products that are compostable and then be sure to compost them. Or, choose recycled, reusable and recyclable items like Preserve products. Too bad they don’t come in Halloween colors… yet.

Go kid powered. Give your child a shakable or hand crank flashlight to light his way.

Love LEDs. Use decorative Halloween LED and/ or solar lights for trees, outside of your home, and for lighting the path for trick-or-treaters. They come in every shape, theme and color imaginable!

Bag it, green style. Instead of buying, make your child’s goodie bag from a pillow case or anything else you already own that goes with the theme of the costume. Or, purchase a keepsake, reusable Green Halloween^® trick-or-treat ChicoBag^™. (Designed each year by kids! Enter the design contest here. 10% of the sales support the Green Halloween initiative.)

Get creative. Turn costume making into a creative and fun experience for your child. Hunt through the house, at neighborhood garage sales, or a thrift store for costume-worthy items. Enjoy the process and the product! Another idea: host a costume exchange as part of National Costume Swap Day^™ (second Saturday in October).

Switcheroo. Instead of allowing your child to eat all the candy he collects, ask him to select a limited, pre-agreed upon amount and then leave the rest out for the Halloween Fairy/ Witch/ Great Pumpkin, who will, while your child is sleeping that night, swap the candy for goodies such as books, games or “pumpkin points” redeemable for outings.

Green the YUM. Make the party meal using foods that are mostly orange, black and green. Create spooky names for the food, if you can. Shop locally (support local farmers) and choose organic, whenever possible.

Recycle the unexpected. Compost all leftovers, jack-o-lanterns, natural décor and unconsumed candy - remove wrappers unless they’re compostable. In some places of the country, you can add compostables to your yard waste bin.

Celebrate others. Host your Halloween party at a retirement home, children’s hospital, organic farm or similar.

Say ‘no’ to toxic chemicals. Make your own face paints. Here’s the recipe. Or purchase mineral-based, lead-free paints.

Choose eco sweets. If buying candy, choose organic – you’ll be surprised at how affordable some brands are! If buying chocolate, look for triple certified: organic, shade grown, Fair Trade.

Think outside the {conventional} candy box. Instead of giving out conventional candy: give away healthy and/or Earth friendly treats and treasures.

Make décor to DIY for. Make your own Halloween décor by visiting craft sites and swapping conventional materials for eco-supplies. For example, if you are going to make some paper ghosts for your window, be sure the paper is reused, recycled or tree-free.

Invite sustainably. Use e-invitations or make your own from reused, recycled or tree-free sources. Kids will love Mr. Ellie Pooh’s Elephant dung paper! It comes in gorgeous fall colors (all scent-free!). The orange cardstock is perfect for Halloween invites, place cards and more. Supporting Mr. Ellie Pooh means supporting the Elephants in Sri Lanka, who are losing their lives because without profit associated with them, they are seen as liabilities to local farmers.

Reclaim wrappers. Collect candy and bar wrappers and turn them into picture framed, purses, jewelry and more. Tweens and teens especially love this activity. Contact Terracycle.net for a collection box.

Trick-or-treat for good. When tweens and teens are too old to trick or treat, but still enjoy the traditions, encourage them to take a look at how they can turn trick or treating into an activity that benefits others such as: Reverse Trick-or-Treating, trick-or-treating for cell phones, or of course, UNICEF’s program.

Start small and build your confidence. Start simply by having (and using) a recycle bin at your party or by going bottled water-free. You can green up each of your next celebrations a little bit at a time until celebrating green-style becomes old hat.

Plan ahead to avoid costly impulse buying. You’re less likely to invade the local super party store at the eleventh-hour when you make food, gift, décor and activity decisions in advance.

Get the family involved. Ask your kids to come up with three ways to give Halloween a green makeover. Write all of the viable ideas down on paper, toss them in a bowl and select three to try this year.

Don’t drive to trick or treat. Encourage your neighbors to go green and then go door-to-door near you. It’s good for you and the planet and builds community.

Learn more. For more great tips and tricks sign up for the e-newsletters from www.GreenHalloween.org and www.celebrategreen.net. And don’t forget to buy a copy of Celebrate Green! It features ideas, recipes, crafts, gift suggestions and more

~Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter founders of Green Halloween^® and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net