Cherry Blossom Festival

All that knitting comes to fruition

For several DIY Sundays in a row, I posted about my obsession with knitting -- including a variety of YouTube knitting lessons.

For about a year, on and off, I've been knitting a particular sweater. For many reasons, this sweater has taken much longer than I'd planned. However, it's finally done, and I'm extremely happy with the result:

Of course, in the fashion of a typical obsessive, I had my next project ready to go and started righ away!

My Friends Wrote This Post For Me

Friends have been filling me in on lots of eco-friendly goodies for the blog, but I haven't had time to conglomerate all of the fun into a post. So here we go, a whirlwind round-up of what some other Light Greenies are doing and seeing in their quest to keep the planet a bit nicer.

• Sara, in Oakland, sent a couple of items. First up, when we were walking in Rockridge, we saw a house with a LEED "Platinum" certification plaque on the front. LEED (Leadership in Energy-efficient and Environmental Design) is program that environmentally-friendly building projects go through. There are a variety of levels of LEED certification, but platinum sounded like an A+ to me. I'm ashamed to admit that Sara and I both agreed that someone with a LEED Platinum certificate would probably be insufferable... well, I can't vouch for the personality traits of anyone involved, but Sara sent an article she found stating that this house is the "greenest" in America -- or at least the greenest that LEED has certified. I think it's especially cool because they took a beautiful old home and simply updated it, so it retains its character.


• Sara also sent me a link to Natural Home Cleaning, a company in Oakland which is sweet because a) it is a worker-owned co-op (sounds Commie, I know, but co-ops are cool!); and b) they clean homes using only safe and natural products. Sara wondered if Houston might have something similar -- and a quick google later I turned up Organic Home Cleaning. Now, I haven't tried them out -- ahem, I do all my own cleaning ... sometimes -- but it's nice to know that Houston can be green just like those folks out on the left coast.


• Other Sarah, here in Houston, recommends biodegradable dog waste bags from Simply Out!. Her dog Nicky gives them two "un-opposable, and unopposed" thumbs-up.


• Also in Houston, Melanie gives an (opposable) thumbs-down to Green Works Natural All-Purpose Cleaner. Green Works hasn't gotten the best reviews from my amigas, although the toilet cleanser seems to work fine. It seems that sometimes green products coast on being green, without also working. Many experiments with organic shampoo have borne this out. Hopefully, Clorox will continue trying ... wouldn't be amazing if someday a chemical company transformed into an all-natural company ... ah! we can only dream.


• Darci, in Spokane, WA, is a fan of Fresh Abundance, a small grocery selling local and organic products. They also deliver weekly produce boxes with a surprise assortment of vegetables and fruits, which allows participants in the program to experience produce they might not otherwise try.


• Finally, Maritza came to our birthday party bearing another brand of ecologically-responsible partyware - dispozables, by iPack.

And over at My Charming Kids, baby Stellan is doing a bit better today -- keep praying and sending good wishes to Stellan and his family.

Thoughts and Prayers

I don't have a lot of time tonight, just wanted to post a couple of words about one of the blogs we link to: My Charming Kids. Blogger Jennifer McKinney blogs almost daily about her family and how she keeps the kids fed organically, diapered cloth-edly, and playing happily while she recognizes that no parent is perfect. MckMama, as she's known, is tonight at the hospital with youngest son Stellan who has been having racing heartbeats for a couple of days now.

I gain lots of inspiration and enjoyment from MckMama's brood, so if you're so inclined, visit the site and say a prayer for Stellan. And if you're not someone who prays, good wishes would probably be appreciated too.

DIY Sunday - Homemade Greeting Cards

Homemade birthday cards (yes, more birthdays!) are one of the easiest crafts, and yet, one of the easiest to make look like they came out of the elementary school art room. That's fine if you're actually in elementary school, but sort of disheartening when you're trying to make something beautiful and it turns out differently than you'd hoped.

Here, therefore, are a few pointers to turn your kitchen table into your own personal Hallmark studios:

1) Layering is key. A colleague of mine is a big fan of the "Rule of 3". Stuff just looks better in threes. So start with a base layer (that's the plain light-blue paper on the left) and a second layer (that's patterned craft paper on the right). Cut the second layer a little smaller than the base.

2) Get rustic by artfully tearing your second layer: There's a little trick to getting a cool, rustic looking edge (I tore one rough edge on the second layer -- you'll see the finished result below on the completed card). Take the paper and hold it in both hands, with the side you want showing facing toward you. Then pinch the top edge of the paper where you want the torn edge, and tear it quickly away from you. It sounds silly, but you'll keep the patterned/colored side cleaner if you do it this way.

3) Use stamps sparingly to create your third layer. Stamps can make a big mess if you're not careful. I never stamp directly onto my base layer or my second layer, because then if I make a mistake I have to start over. I stamp onto some heavy paper or cardboard (that's the back of a Christmas card below - recycling, you know) and then cut around the stamped image. I like to use double-sided adhesive dots to attach the stamped image, which raises it up a little, giving the card texture.

4) Voila! The finished card: You can see the base layer, the second layer with the rough edge, and the accents used for the third layer, including the bird stamp.

If that's all a bit complicated or time-consuming, we're lucky to live in an era of awesome internet clip art. Below is a card I made by simply printing clip art on a color printer and gluing the image onto cardstock. The clipart came with all the detail; all I did was write the message on it.

Next week: DIY Sunday will most likely be on hiatus, as I will be traveling. But as always in my travels, I'll be on the look-out for signs of our greener times. Coming up this week, more ecologically friendly celebrating.

Just 'Cuz

Some photos from the Cockrell Butterfly Center. 'Cuz butterflies are pretty.


As a second grade teacher, I spent many an afternoon at the Cockrell Butterfly Center, at Houston's Museum of Natural Science. The giant atrium simulates a tropical environment, providing a place for butterflies to drift in 80-degree air.

I know that many of my ecologically-minded brethren and sistren are anti-zoos-and-other-attractions-resembling-zoos (a la the Butterfly Center), but I live with the fear that there may come a time when enclosed spaces will be the only places where exotic animals might roam. Hence, I'm OK with zoos, aquariums, and the like.

I understand the point of view of those who disagree with me, just as I understand the point of view of vegetarians, while I go ahead and eat chickens, but not cows (there's a whole post coming, someday, on that subject).


And yes, below, you see a drawer full of dead butterflies. This is, perhaps, my favorite part of the Cockrell Butterfly Center. Let me explain ...

Once, while visiting a friend who was spending a year abroad in Edinburgh, I visited the Royal Museum of Scotland (which is awesome, but currently closed awaiting revision).

My favorite part of the museum was a room filled with glass cases that held dead insects, held down with straight pins and labeled with tiny, typed labels. As quaint as the display was, I had the sense that I was standing on the edge of a great human moment. It was through such collections -- painstakingly gathered by sunburned Englishmen hacking their way through jungles -- that we came to understand the mechanisms of evolution. We owe a lot to those geeky British naturalists, with their waistcoats and teatimes. Of course, there's that whole colonialism thing that we have to deal with ... nevertheless, we owe our understanding of biology, in large part, to the guys who liked to stick beetles with straight pins.

So, there's my rumination on the Butterfly Center. All that is really to say: butterflies = pretty.

No-Buy Challenge! Are you up for it?

OK, kids. It's time to get psyched! I am issuing a challenge, Light Greenies! (That's what my ten -- it used to be only five! - loyal readers have just been dubbed).

Turtles are slow -- just like slow money.

In the spirit of slow money, your challenge is this: participate in April's No-Buy Month. This year, I resolved to practice the "No-Buy Month" every third month (Click here to find out more). January was my first No-Buy Month of the year, and I challenged myself to buy nothing non-consumable for an entire month.

In April, I want to go a bit further. Nothing non-consumable, and no entertainment dollars - no movie tickets, no restaurants (except when I travel for work, but WORK is paying for that), no bars, no roller coasters. Of course, all bills will be paid on-time - or nearly.

This is going to demand a lot of me, and I hope my friends will climb on board the Slow Money, No-Buy Train with me. For this challenge, you're invited to participate in any way you see fit -- you make your own rules. Feel free to go by my original rules: Nothing non-consumable for one month. Or if you want to really kick my butt, plan ahead and say you're not going to buy ANYTHING for a month.

Of course, the real reason I'm hoping my friends will join me is so I will have some folks to do FREE stuff with!

So here is the challenge:

In the comments section - here or in a subsequent No-Buy post -- assert your commitment to the challenge. Keep me posted of your progress by commenting throughout April.

One lucky participant will be chosen at random to receive a PRIZE - because I love prizes. The prize, naturally, will be some green goodies.

More info to follow... and yes, moms and dads, diapers DO count as consumables.

Stop and Smell the Roses

The other day on NPR, I heard this story about "slow money." It centered around an organic dairy farmer who is getting his customers to invest in his farm so he can upgrade, since it's so difficult to get credit these days. This is an example, apparently, of the slow money movement, which aims for more investment in local, sustainable businesses and in corporations that are responsible in protecting the planet and people.

In that spirit, I'm going to pass on the tasty result of some of local Houston-area agriculture.

A friend brought over this CheesyGirl, Femme Fatale herb and goat cheese spread. Yum! Buying local is good for my belly.

Also in the spirit of slowing down, I spent some time yesterday exploring Hermann Park. I'd been running around like a crazy person all weekend, and it was a beautiful day, sunny and a bit cool. I've driven by Hermann Park every day on the way to work, and never spent any time there. Roses, Japanese gardens, reflecting pools -- who knew there was such a peaceful spot in the middle of Houston?

DIY Sunday - Get Inspired

Today's post is a bit different - focusing not on a single project (because honestly, I haven't had time this week to Do Anything Myself), but on the muse and how to lasso her. I have a couple of projects bubbling in my brain and as I was scouring the interwebs for some inspiration, I thought I'd share some places where you can get ideas and learn techniques.

There are many fun craft books and magazines out there, but most of the time I find ideas by flipping through them at the bookstore or craft store, rather than buying. That's how the altered clipboards were conceived. The one magazine I'll sometimes buy is Somerset Studio, a paper and mixed-media craft magazine. Mostly, I buy it because it's so darn pretty.

Etsy.com is a great place to find ideas for projects. If you're not familiar with Etsy, it's an online marketplace where people sell their handmade items. Even if you're not in the market to buy, browsing through the shops can liven up your own creative juices. And you just might find something that you want to buy, which supports other DIY types out there.

One of Etsy's stars is Danita, an artist living in Ciudad Juarez. Every time I look at her beautiful little paintings, I feel inspired. Danita is self-taught, and draws on folk art, stories, and emotions. She has her own blog as well as her Etsy store.

Through Danita's site, I discovered the blog of Gustavo Aimar, an illustrator. The blog is in Spanish, but you don't need to speak the language to enjoy his fairytale artwork.

For those who are more digitally-inclined, HitRECord (like hitting record on your video camera, not a hit record that sells a million) is an online hub for those who want to collaborate. The site is the brainchild of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (yes, the kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun). HitRECorders post ideas for projects, then other HitRECorders contribute with video, photos, collage, whatever. The media that's uploaded to HitRECord is then available to be used by other members for further collaboration. The site is a bit hard to navigate if you're new, but check out the forums and you can get a taste of what people are doing. (Click here and here to see a couple of photos I have there.)

So once you've gathered up all of these great inspirations, what do you do? Decide what project you want to make. A card? A collage? A decorated box? Jewelry? You may have seen something on a website that you want to replicate, but you're not sure what to do. About.com has how-tos on almost anything you could imagine, including arts and crafts.

Cheeky Magpie is another site where you can find how-tos - and inspiration. It was there that I discovered the anatomical heart Valentine. She includes tutorials on a variety of projects, and her designs are whimsical -- decorated matchboxes, paper appliques, collage using vintage kids' books, and more.

I hope that you're feeling a bit inspired. I know that I am -- I'm going to get up from the computer and go make some art.

Next week - I hope to be able to share some of the results.

Mistakes Were Made

Apparently, the Pope today admitted he'd made mistakes. That's pretty bold of a guy who's supposed to be infallible.


Well, I've never claimed to be infallible, though I am good at trivia. And I'm certainly big enough to admit when I've made a mistake. Well, here it is:


As of Wednesday, I hadn't changed my A/C intake filter in many moons. In fact, I would estimate at least 6 moons.


Now, that might seem like a little mistake, but just look at the results:

Eww! Gross! The one on the left is the old air filter. Compare it to the sparkly whiteness of a new air filter on the left.

Dirty filters like the one on the left result in A/Cs running less efficiently, thus wasting energy. Boo! Wasting energy = bad for planet, bad for wallet, etc., etc. Dirty filters also mean more allergens and dust bunnies in the house.

I did a little web research and found that most professionals suggest the filter be checked every month (when you pay your energy bill - although my skyrocketing energy costs didn't seem to remind me). If the filter's clean - still vaguely white and a bit translucent - no problem. It can stay. If it's dirty - see above - then it must be changed. This is a simple procedure that even a Southern belle could accomplish.

I've resolved not to make this mistake in the future. Let's see if I can remember to check the filter in one month. All five of my readers -- I'm counting on you to help me remember.

Celebrate Good Times! C'mon!

It's been a bit of a rough week, so I'm dwelling on the positives: Sunday I had an amazing day, filled with celebration.

Daylight Savings meant that 9:00 a.m. came earlier than I would have liked. Nevertheless, I trotted off to my friend Melanie's (she who gave me the cloth napkins) house for brunch.

Now, my party philosophy has always been that all utensils, napkins, cups and such should be tossable, hence freeing me from clean-up. It's time for me to change my ways, however. At brunch, Melanie used compostable partyware, some version of which can be picked up at natural groceries like Central Market and Whole Foods.

Shelley and Katie are modeling the compostable cups, filled with mimosas. Don't Katie and Shelley look fetching?

The cups and plasticware are made of corn products, and must be composted to fully biodegrade. And yes, I do know that there are ethical issues involved in using a food product (corn) to create non-food products (cups). However, this is one alternative to just throwing partyware away.

Melanie also used cloth napkins at the party:

I think Shelley could have a career as an eco-friendly model, don't you?

I had to leave the brunch early, however, so I could receive one of my birthday gifts: Girls' Fun Day with my friend Darcy and her daughters. We went out to lunch and took in the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. This was my special birthday request, and I loved my gift -- no wrappings required!

The girls take in "Two Circle Sentinel" at the museum's sculpture garden. Much discussion ensued about whether the sentinel guarded circles or was made up of circles.

P.S.: Our model, Shelley, is the author of Exercise Gumbo, a blog dedicated to non-traditional exercise. According to Shelley: "I hate to exercise, but I like to do things that are fun." That's a refreshing approach to fitness. Check it out here.)

DIY Sunday - Gift Wrap

Remember when we were kids, and we used to wrap birthday presents in the Sunday funnies? At least, I think everyone did that -- at least everyone in my town did. Of course, we also bought clothes in the basement of the hardware store. Nevertheless, as folksy as it might seem to wrap gifts in newsprint, it's a masterpiece of green living. You re-purpose the funnies as gift wrap. Those funnies can then be recycled by the recipient. Awesome.

Except today, it seems like most people don't do that. In fact, gift wrapping has gotten somewhat excessive. You hear on the real-estate porn cable channels that people have "gift wrapping rooms." Bows, gift bags and boxes, raffia and ribbons fill aisles at Target and Wal-mart. I admit, I love a beautifully-wrapped gift.

As I shared in yesterday's post, however, March is a big birthday month in my clan of friends. Therefore, there's a lot of gifting. That can get expensive if you have to spend money on cards, gift bags, and tissue paper -- not to mention, it results in a lot of waste.

Here are a few ideas to reduce waste while gift wrapping, and to create lovely gifts that have your personal stamp.

First of all, save all kinds of stuff.

Most DIYers save things anyway; we acknowledge the transformative power that scissors and glue have over junk. All of the things above -- ribbon from other gifts, a burlap coffee sack, left-over origami paper from a second-grade project -- can be used again to wrap gifts.

Here's an example:

This is a piece of fabric left over from some other project, along with a ribbon I scavenged from a long-ago gift. The wrapping is pretty, and pretty easy. Just gather the fabric and tie it off. You could even stick a flower or leaf in the ribbon for added effect.

You can buy bags of fluffy paper scraps for stuffing gift bags, but you can also make them:

These are the remains of old envelopes. Again, this involves some saving. Gather some brightly-colored envelopes whenever you receive holiday cards. Stick paper through the shredder and you have your stuffing. It could also make some nice Easter grass, and is reminiscent of the little girl in the Edward Gorey story (I believe it was The Remembered Visit) who collects the insides of envelopes, back in the day when envelopes had a pretty lining.

You can also make your own gift wrap by cutting open a brown paper bag. Use stamps, paint or markers to decorate it.

I created this simple design by actually pressing the round ink pad directly onto the paper; no expensive stamps required. I like repetitive designs like this, and I like the imperfect, weathered look created when the ink didn't make a perfect circle.

I'm sure that there are many more creative ideas out there. If you have one, share in the comments section.

Coming up this week: Some celebretory gusto from my birthday weekend.

Re-use: Gift Wrap

Amongst my group of friends, March Madness isn't about basketball, it's about birthdays. Currently, my Facebook page is alerting me to FIVE birthdays this weekend, and last weekend had FIVE as well. Three friends have their birthdays on St. Patrick's Day.

My friend Eva commented that along with all this celebrating comes a lot of waste. Trees go to their deaths just to provide wrapping that will be ripped right off. Poor trees ... can't you hear them scream?

Luckily, the gift bag revolution has resulted in more people re-using gift wrap. My friend Melanie gave me this lovely birthday gift the other day (yes, I'm one of the Pisceans killing all the trees):
The photo doesn't really do justice to the wrapping. Both the bag and the ribbon had been previously loved, and both will be loved again when I reuse them -- though the ribbon will probably become part of a craft rather than a gift.

Inside the lovely outside, I found an even lovelier inside ...

Cloth napkins! They were exactly what I asked for!

I requested the napkins as part of my attempt to use fewer paper towels. Because I am so classy, I usually used paper towels as napkins -- if guests were over I folded them the paper towels in half for instant sophistication. Since the dawn of the newer, greener 2009, I've been using dish towels as napkins -- also classy.

I thought it was about time that I became an adult, however, so I asked for some REAL napkins. Voila! Melanie made my dreams come true. Not only are they more environmentally-friendly, but they go with my cheery red-and-turquoise kitchen.

Tomorrow: more ideas about DIY gift wrap and cards, in case any of you are experiencing the birthday glut that I am.

Green Etiquette

I live in what I like to call a "compound." Reminiscent of the Kennedys at Kennebunkport, the compound contains the "front house" and the two smaller garage apartments in back. I live in one of the garage apartments. It's tiny, it suits me ... one thing I like about it is that it is totally full. I can't fit anything else inside. That helps keep me from being too acquisitive, which is good for my financial and spiritual well-being.

Living in the compound, however, means that one is especially close with one's neighbors. We've recently had a transition, with new tenants moving into the front house. Previously, the four adults and baby twins (diapers!) living in the compound rarely filled one garbage can each week. Instead, we filled many, many recycling bins. (An aside: isn't it interesting how the word "bin" has been ascribed to all recycling receptacles? No? Well, I thought it was interesting.)

See! It's a giant garbage can! How could we fill the whole thing in a week?

But our new neighbors don't seem to recycle, and now, only 5 days since the last trash pick-up, the garbage is already full. Here's a picture of the recycling bin, with my piddling little stash of recyclables (the one you see next to it is the glass bin, which has been sitting there since the old tenants and which I need to take to Center St. recycling.)


Disturbed that the compound has lost its green cred, I thought, "What's a neighbor to do? I can't demand that they start recycling."

Today, however, I had the chance to email the new tenants, so here's how I phrased my recycling plea:

Did our landlord tell you when recycling goes out? I think it's every other Wednesday, but I'm not sure of the exact rotation. We can recycle paper, corrugated cardboard, and plastics 1-5 and 7. Not glass, but if we keep one recycling bin just for glass I take it to the recycling center sometimes, as long as it's rinsed out. They take green, clear, and brown glass.

See, I was trying to frame it subtly. How did I do?

Product Review - Seventh Generation Paper Towels and Toilet Paper

Paper Towels:

Basic Cleaning Power: ** (out of 5)

Deep Cleaning Power: *

Aesthetics: **

Toilet Paper:

Does the job?: Yes

Aesthetics: ***

Both:

Recyclable Packaging?: Yes, Code 4 (though it states that "Recycling Programs for this Packaging May Not Exist". Yikes!

I found them at: Kroger

Other Stuff: Packaging states they are 100% recycled paper, 80% post-consumer, whitened without chemicals containing chlorine. Whatever that means.

See below for the scoop:

Since moving to Houston 5 years ago from the hippie-dippy, green-as-all-get-out Northwest, I've found that recycled paper products can be hard to find. Usually they're not stocked with the regular paper towels and t.p., but in their own special "natural" area. And where safer cleaners are popping up all over, paper products seem to be harder to find.

I've been trying to use fewer paper towels, and it's going pretty well (though a Morningstar veggie sausage pattie just doesn't microwave as well on a plate as it does on a paper towel). Some jobs, however, demand a paper towel.

That's why I was so stoked to discover where my neighborhood grocery was hiding the recycled paper products (bottom shelf, across from the organic milk). And that's why I was so disappointed to find that the paper towels to be a complete bust.

First of all, they are scratchy. I could use a piece of printer paper to wipe up messes, and it would be more pliable than the Seventh Generation paper towels. Second, they are bright white -- and I'm a little skeptical about what's behind the "whitened without chemicals containing chlorine" line. What does that mean? I checked the website where they claimed to list all of the ingredients but found no more info than I did on the package.

Third, and worst of all, they are not absorbent. 1980's commercial-style, I did an absorbency test by pouring water on the counter and trying out the paper towels -- because I love all five of my readers so! I used two pieces of paper towel, but I had to go back for more. If you have to use four pieces rather than one, how does that impact the ol' environment?

The failed absorbency test

I was happier with the toilet paper. Yes, it gets the job done; and no, it is not as scratchy as printer paper. Of course, I've worked at summer camps and elementary schools -- homes of the world's roughest t.p. -- so I admit that I'm not a fan of "quilted softness" on my toilet paper. Probably something I would buy again. The paper towels? A definite no.

Fun fact: Some folks are using cloth t.p. these days. That is dedication to Mother Earth!

DIY Sunday - Knit A Scarf

For three previous DIY Sundays, we've been learning to knit. After those three lessons, you now have all the skills you need to knit a scarf.

You will need:

Straight knitting needles, US size 10
Yarn - I used Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca Brush Paint - 1 skein (that's yarn talk for a bunch) for the scarf and some extra for tassels.
Scissors

A word about yarn choice: Knitting a scarf is easy. You just knit back and forth. Differing yarns are what result in the wonderful variety of stylish scarves you see out there. For a first product, pick a yarn that you love, but which doesn't have too many frou-frous -- eyelashes, sequins, etc. Those will make it difficult to knit. The Baby Alpaca Brush Paint is lovely because it is very soft and looks fancy when knitted up.

OK. Here's the pattern:

Cast on 25.
Knit in garter stitch (that's just knitting the knit stitch over and over) until you near the end of the skein, or whenever the scarf is at a length you like. You need 2-3 feet of yarn left to bind off.
Bind off.

That's it. Now you have a scarf.

If you want tassels, here's what you do:



I have to say, I find Knitting Tips by Judy to be quite lovely. She's not British, but can't you just picture a knitting lesson by a sweet, but slightly stern, Granny?

My sister is happy to wear her new scarf!

Next week: Well, I'm not sure ... but it will be some non-knitting-related DIY fun!