Reduce Reuse Recycle

Did you have an opportunity to see Richard Garay's Tuesday Tip last week on the Fun Stampers Journey (FSJ) blog? It was about reusing those little plastic pouches that many of the FSJ accents are packaged in. They're the perfect size for mini album pockets! 

Aside from the accent pouch, this mini was created with the Under the Sea stamp set, colored with reinkers and shaped with the Banner Parade die set. Isn't this a great memento for vacations? Or how about a little keepsake mini for birthdays? 

Fun Stampers Journey Supplies:

Under the Sea SS-0085

Surf’s Up SS-0094

Banner Parade DI-0031

Journey Glaze AD-0002

Oatmeal Cookie IP-0031

Hazelnut Blend IP-0012

Black Licorice IP-0041

Various Re-inkers

Fusion Blender IP-0088

Mini Wooden Clothespin AC-0029

Journey Sequins – Blue Sky AC-0113

Natural Journey Twine AC-0005

Whip Cream Cardstock CS-0040

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

At our house we take reducing, reusing and recycling pretty seriously and as a result, we haven't had to take our trash can to curb in over a year! Reducing the things we buy and use, composting and recycling have the biggest impact. 

The other day I was about to throw away a graham cracker box when it occurred to me that the negative leaf cut on the front would make a cute card accent. 

(Buy Now - $2.99)

Since I've started crocheting, I'm also saving little bits of left over yarn to use for my cards like the bit I chain-stitched and tied to this chipboard tag. Because I use 100% cotton yarn, I plan to leave a bunch in a suet container for the birds this spring...

(Source)

...which would make a cozy and colorful little nests, don't you think?

If you're interested in learning ways to reduce your trash, visit the Zero Waste Home blog.

In addition to my recycled items, my card was created with the adorable new Garden Party collection by Pebbles. And guess what? This line is 30% off at Scrapbook.com! 

Well, I've got some projects I'm working on to share with you real soon so I better get to them! 

Have a super day! :)

December Daily - Day Thirteen

One of my favorite things about Christmas is home baked goodies! I love to bake for our friends, neighbors and family and I love when the neighbors drop by with a plate of cookies and treats! Yesterday we got some wonderful bon bons and turtles in the mail from Laura Davis. She recently started a food blog called Delicious and boy are these candies to die for! Even the packaging is gorgeous! You have to go visit Laura's food blog because the recipes are awesome and the directions easy! She'll have you cooking like a master chef in no time!

Since we have less than two weeks before Christmas, I thought I'd get some gift wrapping done. I so enjoy wrappng presents! And wrapping is easier than ever since we went green a couple years ago. Most of our presnets are put into gift bags made of recycled materials that we use over and over. I use nice ribbon that can be used again too. And a friend of mine told me a little secret for ironing wrinkles from ribbon by rubbing the ribbon across a light bulb! Works like a charm! No need to drag out the iron and ironing board! Most of our lights are low energy but we still have a couple lamps that use the old fashioned kind.

Well, that wraps up another December Daily! Thanks for dropping by! I hope you can come 'see' me again tomorrow! :) Kathy

Scrap Ribbon Card

I found this funky and fun card idea while blog hopping and I HAVE to share it with you! These days I'm all about reducing, reusing and recycling so I was so thrilled to have stumbled upon this idea on Jennifer McGuire Ink, web address listed on the right. She used ribbon scraps to make a fantastic card! I thought I'd try one too! Mine didn't turn out quite as adorable as hers, but it's cute and you get the picture, right? Even the smallest pieces of ribbon will work and it doesn't have to coordinate! How cool is that? Happy scrappin'!

What to do with those Christmas Cards?

Here's a few environmentally friendly ideas for your Christmas cards now that the season is behind us. Recycling them provides companies such as Seventh Generation the post consumer paper it needs to produce their toilet paper, facial tissue, paper towels, and napkins. Whole Foods market makes their brand of these products under the 365 label. Even Staples sells printer paper made of 100% post consumer recycled paper. Don't forget to buy these items or it does little good to recycle.

Reusing your Christmas cards and to/from tags is an even better option. If you have to/from tags that open like greeting cards, keep the front of the tags and cut off the writing portion. Most of my tags this year were from the year before which also saves money. As for your holiday cards, you can cut out some of the pretty images and glue them onto a new piece of card stock to send out next year. This is a fun project for the kids to help you with.

If you like to keep your cards and all the photographs that come with them, the photo above is a scrapbook page made of Christmas cards. I saw this project a couple years ago on Two Peas in a Bucket. You cut up some of your cards into 1 1/2" squares and apply them to a 12"x12" piece of scrapbook card stock. This page has a pocket in it to hold all those cards with photos or handmade designs that you want to save. Now you have a beautiful scrapbook page and a safe place to keep those holiday cards and pictures.