Just last week, amidst Earth Day and Easter, my own personal website, The Damsel in the Attic went live.  What started as a blog during a difficult time in my life has transformed into a beautiful website.  I’m proud to say that I’m supporting the green cause on my site, once again reinforcing my beliefs in an Eco-friendly world.  Here’s how I did it for my business!

Handmade:

Most of the clothing and accessories we sell are handmade by my family and I.  As artisans, much of the material that we use is created out of an assortment of recycled items.  When you hand make anything, your not using tons of machinery to create them therefore reducing your carbon footprint.  All a plus for our planet!

Here How You Can:

Try your hand at jewelry making, crochet, or hand sewing.  If your not the hand-eye coordinated type, try to make a point in visiting your local art festivals and Farmer’s Market to choose handmade items.

Vintage:

This one is simple.  Retro will not only make an outfit pop or aid you in a fashion worthy makeover, it will also use recycled results.  Breathing life into an old item is a great way to recycle.

Here’s How You Can:

If vintage isn’t your thing, you can also donate old clothing items to the Goodwill, have a yard sale, or you can even make a little money off like new clothing with places like Plato’s Closet, which will pay you for your old, designer digs.

Recycle: Grab a Vintage look!

Girl Story In A Bag:
I wanted to create a bag that is personalized to your life story.  All of our bags are either created out of your old bag or out of a new bag with recycled materials.  The inside of the bag comes with inserts that are interchangeable.  The inserts are magnetized and are covered with 100% organic or recycled scrapbook fabric and plastic.  The little pockets that are sewn in are hand-sewn individually.  Everything is handmade right down to the love letter wallets. Check it out, Earth lovers!

Here’s How You Can:

Recycle your purse when you order.  It may cost you a little extra in shipping but its worth taking something old and making it brand new!  Also, e-mail all pictures to save on paper and postage.

Girl Story in a Bag = Handmade Goodies which are sustainable to our planet.

Blogger Laurali Star can also be found on The Damsel in the Attic and her blog.

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

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How adorable are these Halloween crafts from Felt Playground?! I love the look and feel of felt and these are perfect additions to any Halloween goodie bags or during playtime and festivities on Hallow’s Eve. Be sure to check out Felt Playground for an array of  finger puppets and play foods for all occassions!

Source: Inhabitots

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

There are many sites out there that have crafts and DIY projects for halloween decorations. In anticipation (we know we know Halloween is still a few good months away, but we’re starting to rev up our engines in preparation!) of Halloween, every week here at GH will have a roundup post of crafts to share with our viewers! Below is the first batch that caught our eye thanks to their creativity and promotion of more family time with your kids!

If you have an idea to submit, feel free to email so we can include it in the upcoming roundup posts! We look forward in hearing from you!

Spooky Thumbprints

Create Halloween art with your thumbprints! It’s simple and fun. Your kids will sure to be pleased by their artworks! Click here for step-by-step directions.

Tootsie-Pop Spider

A decoration that has a treat inside it! How sweet is that? This Spider’s body is made out of a Tootsie-roll lollipop. Head on over to FabulousLiving.com for directions on how to make your very own candy spider!

Hanger turned Pumpkin

Next up, we have a pumpkin made out of old wire hangers courtesy of the San Diego Zoo. Instead of tossing them out, turn them into a creative Halloween decoration! Not only is the pumpkin super eye-catching, it’s simple to make and it’s eco-friendly to reuse materials.  All you need are old hangers and Halloween colored pipe cleaners!

Glue Ghost Necklace

From MarthaStewart.com comes a spooky and delicate necklace that your kids will scream for! This is the perfect accessory to make to go along with their costumes this year. Who wouldn’t want a string of cure transparent ghosts following them around while they treat-or-treat around the neighborhood?

Finding just the right Halloween “goodie bag” is a cinch when you make one yourself (with or without your child’s help depending on her age and inclination), from items you have around your home.

This one is special because it’s designed to be used for many Halloweens. The front is decorated and the back is left plain. The idea is that every year it is used, your child can write her name and the year. By the time she grows from tot to teen, she’ll have created an heirloom.

The foundation is a giant can like the ones baked beans come in. You also could recycle a paint can with most of the dried paint scraped off. Paint the can or cover inside and out with paper or fabric.

Use your imagination when decorating the can. Your child’s stamped handprint, items related to her costume etc. can be glued on. Because the bucket will be carried around (hopefully for many years), try to be sure that whatever items you add will not fall off.

I’ve made similar buckets before, and always made a hole in each side with an awl to thread through wire or whatever for the handle. This time, I looked for another solution because I’ve lost my trusty awl. I looked around to see what I had that could hook onto the can. Eureka! I discovered one curtain ring that worked perfectly. It’s teeth held the edge of the can well and I could wind the ribbon and pipe cleaner handle through. Of course, it took me a few minutes to unearth the other one, but I think it was worth the hunt. (Do you agree?)

Have you created a clever goodie “bag” from repurposed items? Tell us about it.

(Orginally posted on www.CelebrateGreen.net/blog)

While I’m on a roll about Halloween eco-crafts…

A few moths ago, I attended a Seattle Greendrinks anniversary party. One of the hosts was a company called Alchemy Goods – they make bags and accessories out of re-purposed seat belts and bicycle inner tubes. At this event, Alchemy Goods had some materials out for us to play with, including strips of the tubes…. This is what I created: an eco-spider, perfect for Halloween!

Even if you don’t have a creative bone in your body, this craft is for you:

Take 4 strips of no-longer-usable bicycle inner tube, tie in a knot and add googly eyes if you want to. Use as Halloween dECOr, instead of candy for trick-or-treaters, as gifts or prizes, etc.

Don’t have old bicycle tubes at your disposal? Contact your local bike shop. Chances are, they’ll be happy to pass them along to you.