Do It Yourself
Emily Tan writes: Believe or not, this gorgeous notebook is handmade from a recycled tea tin. This incredible tutorial on WiseArts has images to guide you every step of the way (and that's just how I like it). The best part is, the tute can be adopted to suit almost any tin to create exotc, retro, or kitsch notebook covers - all you need is the empty tin and a biiiiig hammer.
Via Craftzine | CraftyCrafty
Related Posts: How to make recycled newspaper beads | Decorate your home with vintage and recycled tiles
Do It Yourself
What a fabulous use for old umbrellas!
The team over at craft portal ReForm School created this giant sunshade almost entirely out of recycled brollies. The end result was achieved by simply sewing the edges of each umbrella together, then adding eyelets around the perimeter. It worked a treat during a party they were throwing for fellow crafters and lent a really festive look to the patio. While I don't think I could whip up anything quite on this scale, a smaller version might work well for my balcony, especially since I find most umbrellas on sale today seem to break within weeks, and are hard to dispose of responsibly. [via Craft Magazine]
Do It Yourself
Emily Tan writes: Ever since I saw the Sun Jar I've been secretly hankering after one myself. Besides the gorgeous mood lighting, and the fact that it's eco-friendly, the mere idea of trapping a sunbeam in a jar captures my romantic, fantasy-loving imagination *blush*. Ahem. Right.
Well, if you're crafty you can make your own Sun Jar with Megan of Not Martha's incredibly detailed and wonderfully image-filled tutorial. Using cheap-as-chips Ikea jars and a low-cost garden solar light, she creates several of these adorable jars to light up her patio. [Via Crafty Crafty]
Related: : How to make a sylish lamp from an old blender | How to make a vintage-style cork lamp
Do It Yourself
Pets get through their collars very quickly, and it seems a shame to keep on replacing them with brand new ones. But as this tutorial by Keyka will show you, there's no need to throw old collars away, as the components can be used to make new ones, using the fabric of your choice. This is another great way that you, as a resourseful crafty type, can make a small step towards greening up the planet and making it look prettier at the same time. Win! [Via Crafty Crafty]
Do It Yourself
Electronic waste is notoriously difficult to dispose of responsibly, so if you've got an old blender that's made its last smoothie and you feel like a challenge, why not follow these instructions on how to turn it into a smart, contemporary lamp?
This is a surprisingly easy project, that requires no more than a screwdriver, basic light socket (available from most DIY stores) and an energy-saving lightbulb. The result will be a genuinely useful conversation piece that will have your friends gazing in awe at your creative ingenuity!
Do It Yourself
True, cars aren't the most green way of getting around the town, but sometimes there's just no way you can avoid them, particularly in large countries such as the US or Australia.
Instead of throwing your broken PC into landfills, and buying a new car stereo, you could do a DIY fix by gutting the stereo from the car, and putting in the CD-ROM drive from your PC. A lining made by a kitchen sponge will work wonders on shock-proofing your CD-playing, and I must admit, I rather like the look of it too!
(via Tech Digest and Gearfuse)
Green News
I have to admit I was a bit flummoxed when I saw this claim being made. Barbeques? Butterflies? Perhaps it's to do with making sure you don't singe their tiny wings as you cook your Linda McCartney bangers al-fresco style.
But no: what's important here is not where you place your barbie, but the charcoal you use on it. It turns out that a lot of the charcoal we burn in the UK comes from abroad, and this is bad for the environment in a nuber of ways. First, there's the carbon cost of transporting the stuff. But less obviously, choosing instead to use homegrown charcoal can also be beneficial to wildlife, as it's sourced from woods that are managed to provide habitat for butterflies and birds.
Continue reading >>
digg this | del.icio.us this
| 
Stumble It!
