Healthy and Green Living » Crafts & Design

10 Ways to Use Gourds & Winter Squash (slideshow)

Melissa Breyer — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:01:14 +0000

I think it’s a shame that pumpkins get hijacked by Halloween. Although they make a brief comeback for Thanksgiving in pie form, it’s really all over for them much too early in the season. So what’s a pumpkin-loving girl supposed to do? This one makes a shift to other members of the Cucurbitaceae family: gourds [...]

Christmas Eve Celebration for Animal Lovers

Hilary Stamper — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:02:19 +0000

Since moving away from my childhood home, adrift from old Christmas traditions, Christmas Eve hasn’t felt the same. This year, however, I’ve created a new celebration that feels right in my gut. It goes beyond words of comfort and cheer; we’ll physically contribute to the lives of those who need help in my community; our [...]

Bring Your Living Space to Life

Megan, selected from Yoga+ Magazine — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:12:03 +0000

By Basia Hellwig, Yoga+ The most comfortable places in our homes and towns are expressions of the way people live in them, rather than of an architect’s master plan. So observes scholar and architect Christopher Alexander, who has studied and codified these patterns of living, as expressed in rooms, buildings, and towns over the centuries. To [...]

Homemade Bows for the Green Gifter!

Megan Zehnder — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:05:42 +0000

Can you cut out wrapping paper completely this holiday season? After searching some green crafting websites, I�ve decided it�s easy to do away with wasteful gift wrap AND still make a very lovely gift presentation. Perhaps one of the easiest alternatives to wrapping paper is newspaper. Think that wrapping a gift in newspaper just isn�t as classy [...]

No Wasteful Gift Wrap: 12 Alternatives

Megan, selected from Planet Green — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:03:13 +0000

By Jaymi Heimbuch, Planet Green As you’ve probably noticed, trashcans overflow after winter holiday festivities. Wrapping paper, bows, ribbons and boxes fill up a big portion of that too-stuffed trash bin. Ease the load going to the landfill by wrapping your gifts in repurposed items and reusable containers. Here are 12 great ideas to get your [...]

Knitting For Babies! (Diaper Cover Pattern Included)

Ronnie Citron-Fink — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:08:37 +0000

What could be more precious than a newborn baby wrapped up in a beautiful, thick, squishy hand-knit blanket? I don’t hold onto many of my kid’s old articles of clothing, but all of the baby sweaters I knit are carefully tucked away in a cedar trunk. Those beauties not only hold so many [...]

5 Simple Gifts From The Garden

Judi Gerber — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:08:36 +0000

If you are a gardener, and the hustle and bustle of the holiday shopping season — the traffic, the crowds, and the department stores — wears you down, you can venture into your garden to soothe your soul and to make gifts for friends and loved ones. You don’t need to spend a lot of time [...]

Give Peace A Chance: Make a Peace Wreath!

Ronnie Citron-Fink — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:08:12 +0000

During this holiday season, each and every one of us has the opportunity to build peace in our lives - locally and globally. Each culture and religion celebrates the winter holidays in its own unique way. Believe me, as someone who blends together two diverse traditions, peace binds it all together. Share your sentiment [...]

Fake vs Real: Which Christmas Trees are Greenest?

Melissa Breyer — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:01:37 +0000

As a kid growing up in Los Angeles I was always attracted to the Christmas lots that had trees frosted with pink or turquoise fake snow. (What were they thinking?) I have yet to see those special specimens since, but it�s no surprise that as an adult I lean toward non-traditional trees. Part of that is just my stubborn attraction to the unique, but much of it stems from my feelings for trees.

Although I know that Christmas trees are farmed like any other harvested plant, it still makes me sad to think of those noble little guys whacked down for my temporary pleasure. But my humble homemade feather tree is starting to molt�and I wonder if it�s time to join the 29 million American households who will buy a fresh cut tree this year? Or should I opt for an artificial tree? How about a living tree that will take a Christmas miracle of its own to actually end up planted in my garden? To forego a tree altogether is way too bah-humbug for me, so what is the greenest Christmas tree option?

Free Tutorials For a Green Home

Ronnie Citron-Fink — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:05:34 +0000

Freebies and tutorials make my day. While the attraction may seem obvious, I’ll just elaborate: I love these online project tidbits, because they present the ingenuity of the DIY spirit in all its flying colors! Tutorials are popping up all over the web. DIY tutorials are instructional lessons that lead the viewer through a series [...]