Hippyshopper how-tos
If you're the proud owner of an organic veggie patch or like to grow beautiful plants, leaf mould is an excellent natural soil improver, lawn conditioner and mulch that you can start making around this time of year. You can't buy it anywhere in the shops, so if you want to give you garden an advantage, read on over the jump to find out how to make your own.
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Hippyshopper how-tos
The guys over at Recycled Crafts posed a very good question today when they asked "what can you usefully do with old pasta sauce jars?" Despite never really eating the stuff, I personally seem to have amassed a great number of them, and was asking myself the same question only this afternoon. Being made from glass, they take up a fair bit of space and are quite heavy, so having empty ones about the place is no use to anyone...
Follow the jump for some top ideas
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Hippyshopper how-tos
Photo frames can look decidedly naff after a while (see 'before', above) and are therefore prime candidates for being sent straight headlong the wastebasket. Not a good solution in these planet-saving times.
Tea for Bini has a great tutorial here for turning a clapped out old frame into something far more funky that can be used for displaying photos, clippings or whatever you want on your wall in style. It's a surprisingly simple technique that can be applied to most styles of frame, so next time you think about binning one, why not see if you can make it into something far more stylish instead? [Via Crafty Crafty]
Hippyshopper how-tos
Over on Crafty Crafty, I've stumbled on so many exciting and inventive items made from re-used materials this week that I can only assume this trend has now got bigger than ever. Is the green message finally hitting home, or is this a sign of the credit crunch taking hold!?
One of the coolest things I've seen come from this explosion of creativity is this pair of sandals made out of a yoga mat that had seen its last sun salutation. Flickr user Sami Sue made them, following this tutorial on threadbanger, with a few of her own alterations. The shoes not only look stylish, but are hard-wearing, too. A winning combination when you're talking footwear!
Related: How to recycle a cup into a plastic bag keeper | How to make recycled newspaper beads
Hippyshopper how-tos
My flatmate hails from Tokyo, and is expert in turning stray plastic bags into neat little origami triangles. This is a great way of dealing with any bags you have lying around the house, and it's easy to unfold them into their usable form. If you'd like to give this a try, I found a tutorial here on how to do this, but somehow I haven't had the time or the patience to sit down and get folding.
A far less fiddly alternative is to create a dispenser and have it wall-mounted somewhere prominent. I found this one on My Recycled Bags, where there's a tutorial on how to turn a large cup or yoghurt pot into a useful plastic bag keeper. Or, for the third, final and laziest option of all, you could always buy a ready made one: People Tree sells smart, jute bag dispensers for £6. Whichever option you go for, you'll find it's very liberating to rid your home of plastic bag clutter without resorting to chucking any out.
[Via Craft Gossip]
Friday fun
We've all got them: old jumpers that are no use to us at all in summer, and probably won't look any more attractive in the winter, when they emerge moth-eaten from the depths of our wardrobes.
But as this fun idea demonstrates, old jumpers have a summery side they're just itching to bring out: they make great, hard-wearing picnic mats. Follow the jump for step-by-step instructions on how to make one of your own.
Related: Picnic responsibly with veggie-based cutlery | Biodegradable picnic kid from Firebox
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Hippyshopper how-tos
Gone are the days when you're average glue came straight from poor old horses at the knackers' yard (though many still aren't vegan). If you'd like to ensure you're using a natural and animal-friendly adhesive you can make a safe, sticky and non-toxic solution yourself, the best solution is making your own -- using ingredients you'll find in your fridge.
Writer, artist and musician Summer Pierre has drawn up a lovely, illustrated tutorial on making your own glue from milk and other simple ingredients including our old friend, versatile vinegar. Why not make a few vats before the school holidays begin? It's dead easy.
Follow the jump for the tutorial
Related: How to make your own dish 'scrubbies' | 20 things you can re-use instead of chucking | How to make your own shoes
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