DIY: Holiday Decorating Ideas

My holiday decorating is well under way.  This year I made sure to start early so that I can enjoy my festive home for a lot longer.  Table decorations are set, the tree is up, stockings are made, lights, action ... and yet, there are so many more crafts I would love to do!  Here are just a few ideas that have inspired me this year:

A Recovering Craft Hoarder

A fantastic way to reuse old CDs or DVDs - a 'Merry Christmas' sign.  This is great, especially since they are difficult to recycle.

photo source: Pinterest

A fun way to reuse an old ice skate.  Another option, donate your pair but if you only have one, this door decoration is lovely as well.

Plough Your Own Furrow

Another easy and pretty outdoor decorating idea using pine branches, pine cones and ball ornaments. If I had a porch, I would consider doing this.

Giver's Log

 Speaking of pine cones, these colourful mini cones are too cute!

Michele Made Me

And for the Christmas tree, twiggy mini trees ...

LearningEnglish-esl

... and penguin ornaments.  What a great way to recycle light bulbs!

Eddie Ross

I always thought I would go with a traditional pine/green Christmas wreath but this ornament wreath is just so pretty.  And the tutorial on how to make it makes it look easy to create.

Crate Paper Blog

I now know what to do with all my scrap booking scraps - this tall paper Christmas Tree! 

Need more ideas?

 Check out 101 ornaments for a lot more DIY ideas!

Moving Tip #2: Reuse as Many Boxes as Needed

photo source

Sure it would be nice to have a bunch of perfectly shaped, perfectly clean, perfectly new moving boxes but what the heck for!?  I mean, our stuff isn't all the same size and we general clean as we unpack so I say, go to the curb, liquor store or anywhere else you can find used boxes to re-use.

The best thing about living in a building right now is there is never a shortage of boxes.  Nearly every other weekend there is someone moving or buying new stuff and tossing their over-sized boxes, it makes a person obsessed with boxes really, especially when moving.

I think Seinfeld put it best in his act:

When You're moving your whole world becomes boxes. That's all you think about is boxes. Boxes, where are there boxes? You just wander down the street going in and out of stores. Are there boxes here? Have you seen any boxes? I mean it's all you think about. You can't even talk to people because you can't concentrate. Shut up I'm looking for boxes. Just after a while you become like really into it you can smell them. You walk into a store. There's boxes here. Don't tell me you don't have boxes. Dammit, I can SMELL them. I'm like I'm obsessed. I love the smell of cardboard in the morning. You could be at a funeral. Everyone is mourning, crying around you, and your looking at the casket. That's a nice box Does anyone know where that guy got that box? When he's done with it do you think I could get that? it's got some nice handles on it. And that's what death is really. It's the last big move of your life. The hearse is like the van. The pale bearers are your close friends the only ones you could ask to help you with a big move like that and the casket is that great perfect box you've been waiting for your whole life. The only problem is, once you find it you're in it. 

-- Jerry Seinfeld

Green Tip 18: Ban the Plastic Bags Already!

PLASTIC BAGS =  VERY BAD

Each year the U.S. uses 84 billion plastic bags, a significant portion of the 500 billion used worldwide. They are not biodegradable, and are making their way into our oceans, and subsequently, the food chain. Stronger, reusable bags are an inexpensive and readily available option.

Plastic bags, not just hanging out in trees, there are one way too many of them consuming our oceans!  These days it's easy to just reuse the bags you have or buy reusable, durable bags.

Green Tip 13: Do We Still Need Reminding, really?

It seems like one of those tips that never get old and that you just can't stress enough ...


RECYCLE ALUMINUM AND GLASS

Twenty recycled aluminium cans can be made with the energy it takes to manufacture one brand new one.

Every ton of glass recycled saves the equivalent of nine gallons of fuel oil needed to make glass from virgin materials.

It's really a no-brainer and most people I know do recycle these days.  If your office doesn't recycle then I suggest you urge them to do so.  Yes, I'm a geek and I have gone as far as bringing my own recycling waste home to ensure that it does get to the recycling bins.


Why it is SO important:

Conservation alone is perhaps the biggest and most important reason.  Reusing the materials we have already extracted from the earth is better then extracting new raw materials and destroying even more natural resources just to satisfy our wants.

It also saves energy because it takes less energy to recycle materials then it does to extract new ones from the earth.  This would also reduce pollution, you know, that dirty air that we frequently breath in every day ... yeah, that pollution.

Recycling more will help to reduce landfill waste, which is extremely important seeing as how we are already at the point of making islands out of the garbage already out there.  Gross!

Green Tip 12: Cell Phone Cemetary

RECYCLE OLD CELL PHONES

The average cell phone lasts around 18 months, which means 130 million phones will be retired each year. If they go into landfills, the phones and their batteries introduce toxic substances into our environment. There are plenty of reputable programs where you can recycle your phone, many which benefit noble causes.

Probably one of the worst things we can waste or trash these days are old cell phones.  There are so many options today that it seems ridiculous to even consider throwing them in the trash. It doesn't even make sense keep old ones lying around your house (yes, even that is wasteful) because while they are tucked away hidden in your drawers more and more raw materials are being drawn out of the earth to make new ones when we can just as easily reuse or recycle the old.

"Every year 150 million cell phones are thrown out in the U.S., along with over 300 million other electronic devices.  It's estimated that another 500 million unused cell phones sit around in people's drawers." - The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard

Most companies will take back your old phones when you trade them in for new ones and recycle the parts.  Keep in mind this is the case with many old electronics these days too or if something you don't want still works consider donating it.

On that note, I think it's time for me to find all of the old electronics and unused cords I keep hidden in boxes around my place and recycle them.

Good night!

Green Tip 11: Wire there So Many Hangers?

I can't for the life of me understand why my boyfriend has so many wire hangers instead of durable wood or plastic ones that I am used to.  Personally, if it were up to me I would buy all wood hangers and recycle the wire ones ... which I kind of have been doing, slowly but surely.  He'll never know!

Besides, with cool ideas in how to reuse them like this one from TreeHugger who needs them anyway. So ....

RECYCLE UNWANTED WIRE HANGERS 

Wire hangers are generally made of steel, which is often not accepted by some recycling programs. So what do you do with them? Most dry cleaners will accept them back to reuse or recycle. 

Green Tip 9: Second is Often Best

Derick Melander's Massive Second-hand Clothing Sculptures

I stumbled upon this photo in my google search.  Derick Melander's work is so interesting, he creates these massive sculptures from second-hand clothing to "bring attention to the large amount of textile waste that is generated daily." The clothing is usually donated after the fact.

SECOND-HAND DOESN'T MEAN SECOND-BEST

I think about 95% of the stuff I buy now is second-hand these days unless it comes to running shoes or other sports items that I like to buy new.  As for clothing I love Value Village or Winners (kind of second-handish) and pretty much anything from Kensington Market is awesome.

I asked myself, after University why did I stop buying second-hand? You'd be amazed at the great stuff you can find at second-hand stores, sometimes good quality items that you just can't buy at an H&M or Old Navy (my mother taught me well).


If that fails, try a Swap Party! I recently hosted my first one and it was such a huge hit I'm already collecting and planning for my next one this Spring.

Shopping impacts our environment so greatly, in ways that we ever stop and think about so buying second-hand items is an important way to reduce waste, to reuse what already exists and a bonus, save money!

Universal Set 2008, Derick Melander

Green Tip 3: Reusing is Better, that's Glassy!

 

As great and fantastic as recycling is ultimately it's not the best solution.  Reducing is by far a bigger priority these days, so is reusing - if we all did these two things alone then we wouldn't waste as much or have to rely so much on recycling.  Remember it still takes energy to recycle all our stuff and so much of what we throw away never actual gets recycled! 

Recycled glass reduces related air pollution by 20 percent and related water pollution by 50 percent. If it isn't recycled it can take a million years to decompose.

I say ...RECYCLE REUSE GLASS JARS ... and here are some tips on how:

• I like to reuse the glass jars I buy (such as pickle or sauce jars) to store my dried foods and grains.

•  As the picture shows you above, you can reuse glass jars to make pretty candle holders, perfect for a summer night outdoors

• Use glass jars to store office supplies like pens, pencils and markers at your desk

• Glass jars can be used to organize toiletries in the bathroom, kids arts supplies or collections.

• Various sized glass jars make for a stunning dinner party center piece or as water vases for your flowers at home

• Create memory jars for friends and familys as gifts with glass jars.
• Use glass jars as gifts, fill them with cookies or candies or other sweet treats for friends and family. 

• A friend of mine even uses her reused glass jars as a cup to drink or tea but this is by far one of the coolest ways I've seen glass bottles being reused:

images sources: Home Quotient, Nature Moms and Shelterrific