Eco-Chic Events of the Weekend! 4/29 - 5/1

It's been a week or two since Eco-Chic Events BUT life has a funny way of doing that...but now it's back and get ready for a seriously crafty weekend!

I'm going to make a stop at the Kent Farmer's Market and then head over to Crafty Mart (below)...FUN! Being in Downtown Akron will be the perfect time to use my Groupon to The Stew Pot and Posh Pierogis too - a triple stop saves gas and makes this even more eco-chic!

If you have $5 and some extra time...Go to the brand-spankin' new Jeni's Ice Cream Shoppe in Chagrin Falls! Jeni's is a local to Ohio ice cream shop that focuses on local, natural products with a creative twist on flavors! SO DELICIOUS. My favorite flavor is Salty Caramel but Riesling Poached Pear, Corn Syrup Custard with Whiskey & Pecans, and Goat Cheese with Cognac Fig Sauce are yummy as well! Indulge yourself with a "trio" so you can try 3 different half scoops of this sweet (or savory depending on the flavor) treat!

All Weekend...

Portage Trail Barn is having a Spring Sale. I've never been but they focus on crafts that use reclaimed materials and have a very eco-chic focus! Check out her website/blog for more info! Details: April 29th- May 1st, 9 AM - 4 PM, Under the Hemlock Trees @ 151 Portage Trail Ext W, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223

Saturday, April 30th

Kent Farmers Market - this is a fabulous market at Lucky Penny Creamery - GO! I promise you will find something new and delicious. Details: 9 AM - 1 PM @ 632 Temple Ave, Kent, OH 44240

Crafty Mart is back with a Mom and Pop theme this Spring! If you haven't attended a Crafty Mart before, it's a craft show focus on all the super fabulous crafters around the Akron area - definitely not your grandma's craft show - it's young and hip and the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon! Details: 10 AM - 5 PM @ 51 E Market St, Downtown Akron

Bees are good for you! A naturalist and beekeeper John Irvine talks about why bees are not that bad. (I have a slight obsession with having a bee hive) Details: 3 PM @ F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm, Akron, OH

Garlic Mustard Pull - Join Naturalist Jenny McClain for a morning work party to help rid our forests of invasive garlic mustard. Details: 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM @ Brecksville Nature Center - Brecksville Reservation, Brecksville, OH (also on Sunday, May 1st)

Medication "Take Back" Event - Why is this eco-chic? Because medicines pollute the land and water when they are thrown in to the trash. Studies have shown that they pop up in our food and are affecting our hormones, etc. So don't throw your leftover meds away - save them for an event like this! Details: 10 AM - 2 PM @ Mercy Medical Center & Mercy Hall, Canton, OH

Celebrate Arbor Day and the role of trees in our lives and promote tree planting and care. Details: 10 AM - 4 PM @ Holden Arboretum, Willoughby, OH

Grow Youngstown is hosting a work day at Fairgreen Neighborhood Garden on the Northside off Wick Park. Community gardens are fabulous and you should support them! Details: 1:30 to 4:30 @ 260 Park Avenue Youngstown, OH 44504

Add to your calendar immediately...

Midwest Craft Caucus is happening in Columbus, OH on June 4th-5th.

How did I NOT know about Heartsy?!

Do you love Etsy?

(hand up in air) I do! I could peruse through the pages of Etsy for hours finding inspiration, gift ideas, and items that I lust over.

BUT (and isn't there always a but?) the prices for handmade, created with love items is high...especially when you eyeball an item and think to yourself, "I could make that!" 99% of the time though, I don't. So I've saved money but my life is calling for that cute, swoon-inspiring item.

Disclaimer: I ABSOLUTELY believe that crafters and creators of all sorts deserve to be paid appropriately for the love and time that went in to creating their wares...It's just not too friendly to my budget now.

Enter Heartsy.

It's like Groupon for Etsy. Swoon. Squeal. LOVE.

I literally just found out about this yesterday so I haven't bought a deal yet...Have you?

Why is this eco-chic? Many sellers on Etsy have a focus on upcycling, repurposing, recycling, etc. Supporting these sellers means supporting the environment.

Etsy Eco-chic Hint: Want to reduce shipping pollution or support your local economy? Use the "Shop Local" link to find sellers in your area!

My favorite Etsy finds...

Click on the photo to go to the seller's shop!

Inspiration in the form of a craving...

I've been craving something sweet alllll day long. But I couldn't quite but my finger on what it was...

A giant cookie? Too dry.

A milkshake? Too cold.

A Malley's MallowEgg? Not rich enough.

Hmm...and then it dawned on me at CVS while I was browsing the clearance Easter candy. A cupcake would solve my all day long craving. Specifically, a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting and smashed whoppers on top. YUM. My belly was growling with excitement.

One minor problem - I had no chocolate to make chocolate cupcake mix or cocoa. Hmm...so I settled on a light and fluffy white cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting for Round #1. Then I saved half of the frosting and added some homemade cherry jam that I picked up from the Countryside Conservancy a few weeks ago. See those pink beauties? Cherry-vanilla frosting. DELICIOUS. A brilliant move on my part if I do say so myself!

Don't worry about those two missing cupcakes...They are safe and sound in my and Paul's belly. And their friends are sure to follow...

How do you satisfy your cravings?

Happy Eco-Chic Easter!

I had lots of Easter plans to make up fun, eco-chic Easter baskets for my family get-together...But now Easter in canceled.

BUT FOR THE BEST REASON POSSIBLE! My little brother is coming back from Afghanistan this weekend!!!!!!! (Exclamation points X a million) So we are going to greet him when he lands...And, maybe, if there's time, I will have Easter treats in hand.

But here were some of my fun plans for Easter...which can now inspire you!

Naturally-dyed Easter Eggs

Dyeing Easter Eggs is a tradition in many families...but it can be done without all of the nasty chemicals...Aren't these eggs gorgeous?! Thanks Boulder Locavore!

Just plain pretty.

I was definitely planning on shredding my own leftover paper for Easter basket "grass" - love the newspaper idea from homeroad.

YUM!

These look so delicious that I'm planning on MAKING the time to bake these delicious treats. They combine 2 of my favorite treats - chocolate and whopper eggs. Thanks Two Peas and the Pod!

And I am all over the pennants...I can't wait to do a Spring/Summer one for my new apartment!!

{Click on the photo to go back the creator's blog!}

How are YOU going to celebrate Earth Day?

There are oodles of Earth Day events happening in NEO...My heart is happy. Even if you aren't so eco-chic, go support a local Earth Day event and your community - just for the good karma.

The "Who's your Mama?" Environmental Film Screenings & Local Food Reception is happening in Kent..Below is the info from their Facebook page.

WHO: Standing Rock Cultural Arts with the cooperation of the Kent Free Library, The Kent Stage, and Totally Cooked Catering, and Lucky Penny Creamery presents...
...
WHAT: Annual "Who's Your Mama?" Environmental Film Screenings & Feature Presentations & Local Food Reception
-Powered by a solar power station courtesy of Dovetail Solar and Wind to run the DVD Projector www.dovetailsolar.com
-Films pertinent to sustainability and the environment including the lush, moving, and amazing "Turtle, the Incredible Journey" and the big-screen animated hit and 3-time Oscar winner "Avatar"
-Children's Hour

WHEN: Wednesday, April 20-Friday, April 22, 2011 (times below)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20th

-6:30pm: FREE FILM SCREENING of “Truck Farm,” The Kent Free Library, 312 W. Main St., Kent. http://truck-farm.com/ Directions: http://www.kentfree.lib.oh.us/page.cfm?id=5

THURSDAY, APRIL 21

-7pm: FREE FILM SCREENING of “The Vanishing of The Bees,” North Water Street Gallery, 257 N Water St, Kent. http://www.vanishingbees.com/ More info: www.standingrock.net

FRIDAY, APRIL 22

-5pm-Midnight: LOCAL FOOD RECEPTION & ENVIRONMENTAL CHILDREN'S HOUR & FEATURE FILM SCREENINGS, The Kent Stage, 175 E Main St, downtown Kent. http://www.kentstage.org/

-5-6pm: Local Food Reception featuring Locally Grown Foods catered by Totally Cooked Catering with the support of Lucky Penny Creamery. FREE!

-6-7pm: Short Eco Films for Children (Children's Hour) including “The Man Who Planted Trees” by Frederic Back. $2 admission.

-7:30pm-8:45pm: “Turtle: The Incredible Journey” by Nick Stringer. See admission below. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970521/

A little loggerhead turtle follows in the path of her ancestors on one of the most extraordinary journeys in the natural world. Born on a beach in Florida, she rides the Gulf Stream all the way to the frozen north and ultimately swims around the entire North Atlantic to Africa and back to the beach where she was born. This film was a hit at the Cleveland International Film Festival in 2010!

-9:00pm–Midnight: “Avatar” by James Cameron. Won 3 Oscars in 2010! See admission below. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549.

A paraplegic marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.

-Film Fest Admissions: $2 Children’s Hour Only, $5 General - One Feature Film, or $10 General/$7 Students & Senior Citizens covers entire evening

WHERE: See locations for each event above

COST: See details for each event above

Other Eco-Chic Earth Day Events...

4/20 - Become a Backyard Steward - learn how to compost, grow native plants, attract wildlife and much more at the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm from 12 - 3 PM.

4/21 - Tour of the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm in Sand Run Metro Park @ 7 PM. Reservations required - Call 330-865-8065.

The Seiberling Nature Realm has so many great events that take place year round...Check it out!

4/22 - Earth Day Celebration by Summit County Metro Parks! Drop off recyclable paper products and e-waste (batteries, cell phones, VCRs, radios but no TVs and computer monitors). 5 - 7 PM - Cal 330-865-8065 for more info!

4/22 - Earth Day Hike @ Cuyahoga Valley National Park from 9 - 12 PM.

4/22 - Party for the Planet @ the Akron Zoo! 11 AM - 4 PM.

Ten on Tuesday - 10 Eco-Chic finds at Big Lots! Who knew?!

Being eco-chic does not mean unloading your wallet for organic, natural products or giving up your style for bland clothes. Eco-chicness encompasses reducing resources - all resources - while still living a creative, fun, fabulous life.

One of the ways that I do this is by saving $$$ - all the time. I buy all of my natural, organic products at a discount - or use the savings from those products to stock up at the farmers market ($15 worth of delicious cheese anyone?) I apply the same concept to my wardrobe. Some of my work staples come from Goodwill or Village Thrift. And then there are my Hunter Boots...my first splurge of 2011 but I'm so in love with them that I wear them when the sky even *thinks* about rain.

So I was in shock when I discovered the wide range of eco-chic products carried at Big Lots. There really are some hidden wonders (like the über-fancy vanilla!) on these shelves if you know what you are looking for...and keep your eyes wide open! Big Lots has definitely become my go-to shop when the eco-chic deals are spare at other stores...go and see for yourself!

BTW, I was just exploring the Big Lots website and they have created a shopping card called Buzz Club Rewards. I'm not 100% but it seems that you can earn up to 20% off your order after spending $20 in the store 10 times in a year? Sounds like an opportunity for making an even sweeter deal!

On to the deals!!

I found 4 or 5 different types of Tom's of Maine toothpaste for $2.50 (Could it really be easier to cross something off your Ten on Tuesday - Eco-chic your Bathroom List?)

Method baby products...The first baby is making an appearance in our family sometime in October...I will definitely be adding these cuties to my gift at the shower!

$1.50 for lotion is great - and even better for USDA Organic lotion!! (that means it is the real, organic deal)

I've never heard of this brand but the list of ingredients passes a few of the checklists for a good hair product. $2.50 for a product that doubles as a shampoo and body wash. The stylish bottles will also look great in the care packages I send my brothers!

The largest container of glass cleaner ever. It would take me years to make my way through this bottle - and it's only $4! Hmm...I'm pretty sure that no one will want to visit me with all the hints about my dirty home!

If you have to kill some bugs, do it in the best way possible! These are $6-8 at Home Depot and Wal-mart but only $3 at Big Lots!

Seventh Generation Spot and Carpet Clean for $2.50. This is a good price for Seventh Generation...I've gotten cleaning products for less at Target but never carpet cleaner. I didn't pick this up then but now we do have a few spots that could use some 7Gen love. I will probably go back this week...

Biodegradable food storage containers anymore for $2.50?

Or maybe some kitchen utensils created from recycled plastics? Love the measuring cups.

Method candles and oil warmers...$3. These are $6-8 at Target. Soy-based candles are better for you in so many ways and I would love to put one on a candle warmer in my office!

Canned green beans anyone? I actually love canned green beans...they bring me back to my youth!

All the Kashi crackers you can dream of! Several of these crackers were only $1.60. I always buy Kashi products when I can get them for $1.50 or less with sales or coupons. Who knew I could just cross the street to Big Lots and get them without the hassle? Yay!

You will never have an excuse to eat non-organic or natural cereal again...

I'm not joking...one of the easiest switches you can make! They even had organic kids cereal too! I wonder if I could score some organic Cocoa Puffs or Count Chocula? That might be the best day of my life.

No (non-organic) soup for you!!

Indulge your juicy side with some Cranberry or Grape juice! I love to mix some juice in with my Soda Stream water to make an Italian Soda - delicious and refreshing!

Some iced tea for picnic on a hot day? Honest Tea ($1) actually says that it uses plastic instead of glass bottles (widely deemed as the better container) because it uses fewer resources to transport the bottles...very thoughtful. I still try avoid individual bottles as much as I can (some days are better than others...) but I do enjoy a nice peach Honest Tea with lunch every once in a while.

These are delicious! And only a $1. Enough said.

I'm planning on devoting just a smidge more of the blog to deals of all sorts...so be ready to save green! Is there a product that you would like to try? Let me know and I will be sure to keep an eye out for deals!

Ten on Tuesday - 10 Tips to Eco-Chic your Bathroom

Everyone needs to start their eco-chic journey somewhere...The kitchen is the most obvious because of the food, paper products, grocery bags, etc that are used BUT why not the bathroom? As I was thinking about today's Ten on Tuesday, I wanted to make it some easy steps to up the green factor in your life. Quick, easy choices that you can make at Target, your grocery store, etc. And the bathroom seemed like a fun place to focus!

This week's Ten on Tuesday is 10 Tips to Eco-Chic your Bathroom...Enjoy!

1. Switch toothpaste. I adore Tom's of Maine. And it's usually at Big Lots for a couple bucks a tube. The spearmint taste is so pure that my mouth feels refreshed all day...or until I drink my standard 4 cups of coffee!

2. Use "green" cleaning products. I couldn't be more pleased with Seventh Generation Bathroom Cleaner and Window Cleaner. While other green products have been less impressive, Seventh Generation offers all of the germ and scum fighting that I need...without hurting the earth. A true favorite of mine.

3. Air dry your towels. If that is not an option, use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. Dryers have a huge impact on resources...it's one of the most draining items in your home - So the less you use it the better. If you do use the dryer, use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. You can find these balls at all major stores (I've even gotten mine at Aldi) and they just stay in your dryer for months. You lose the Snuggle soft scent but otherwise you are golden. Oh, and they are only $4-$5 and last for at least 6 months. Much more wallet-chic too!

4. Recycle your toilet paper tubes! You can create art with the tubes or just toss them in the recycling bin...but please just don't throw them away! I also recycle the boxes that my toothpaste comes in as soon as I come home from the store. That way it's done and I'm not being lazy and tossing it in the trash while I'm late for work and searching for the tube...

5. Use recycled toilet paper and/or avoid those wipes...even if they are biodegradable. If you never buy them, then they never exist. And then no resources are used to create them. Marcal has a great product!

6. A better toothbrush...Preserve makes a toothbrush out of recycled #5 plastic. It's the same cost as most other toothbrushes so it's any easy switch! A bit hard to find but check out a health food store or buy online.

7. Treat your ears to a new swab...the cotton used in q-tips needs tons of pesticides to grow. Organic cotton q-tips are easy to find on Amazon.com and probably at your local health food store. If you don't go organic, please please please don't use the swabs with the plastic stick! That stick does not biodegrade. Please and thank you.

8. Wash up with a puff made out of recycled plastic. Eco-tools makes a bath puff out of recycled plastic bags. It's $1.99 at Giant Eagle. I LOVE it when the green choice is just as accessible and affordable as the "other" choice. Just check out Eco-tools no matter what! They have great make-up brushes too. These brushes get great reviews online and are green - double yay!

9. Reuse your towels. And/or try towels made mostly out of viscose, a fiber from bamboo. This is based on your own personal ick factor...I can use a towel for a day or two and then move it in to rotation to dry my hair. The more I use the towel, the less loads of laundry, which means less resources used. Oh, and less laundry folded.

10. Ditch those throwaway cups. Put a pretty vintage juice glass next to the sink to rinse out your toothpaste or get a latenight drink of water instead of those flimsy little cups. These are om Ebay...

I'm looking forward to putting together the 10 Tips to Eco-Chic your Beauty...This post will be very educational for me. My bathroom is eco-chic, but most of my make-up, haircare products, etc are not...And doesn't my face deserve to be just as eco-chic as my toilet? Yeah, I thought so too!

Ruffle pillow

I love lots of pillows...cutsy, flowery, soft pillows to cuddle up with while watching movies, reading, blogging, or lounging hard. But I could never pay for them...$10-20? Forget about it! I would rather craft up a few of my own...with a focus on upcycling, of course.

So here is my ruffle pillow! It fits perfectly with my bed and Shadow loves snuggling next to it...which is only a small problem since he has black fur...and the pillow is white. Oh well.

I started off with a thrifted bed skirt, some leftover ribbon, and my trusty rotary cutter. I cut out two squares for the pillow and then 2 inch strips of fabric for the ruffles. Lots of strips.

Speaking of which, does anyone know how to sharpen a rotary cutter? Or who might be able to do this? Please and thank you!

Then, I sewed them on in a pleated-ruffle style. I tried to do a messy row of just pushing the fabric through this way and that...but getting it perfectly messy was too stressful for me (sounds counter-intuitive right?). So I pleated. And pleated. And pleated again.

There is a photo at the bottom of the post of the back of the pillow...it's super easy to make pillow covers to change as your mood desires.

Then I scooped up this pillow for $0.50 from the thrift store...and I washed it, in hot water, multiple times. I'm pretty confident that it's clean.

Then I shoved the pillow inside of the case...and it was a done deal! Another cute addition to my bed. The pillow was super easy to make (less than an hour) and came in to my life at the perfect time...I've been spending way too much time in my bed. Snacking, reading, blogging. It's just so comfortable on rainy days! I tried to convince Paul to eat dinner in bed...but it just doesn't have the same romantic ring as breakfast in bed...And grilled cheese crumbs would be gross. I even removed a few pillows from the shot below...but I made the blooming pillow as well last fall...love it!

Here's a shot of the back of the pillow...

This is a project that I actually completed awhile ago so I've deleted the blog that inspired it...I'm sorry! Let me know if you recognize it so I can give credit where it is due!

Easy Eco-chic Choice...

Let me apologize in advance for the terrible photo...I was trying to snap this shot as quickly as possible. Because, yes, it is a little awkward to take a photo of your coffee in front of a bunch of people LOL

Sometimes eco-chic choices are just too easy - so don't let them pass you by. Today I got a coffee refill with Fair Trade Vanilla Bean coffee. There were a few other options but I was going to pay $0.99 regardless so why not use my money to show my values?

Spring Stashbust!

We all have a stash of something. Maybe your stash is shoes or Fiestaware (wait - those are both mine). If you do anything at all crafty, you not only have a stash, you have a STASH. Every new projects seems to need a trip to the craft store...for supplies, doo-dads, fabric, flowers, beads, stamps, paper...the list goes on and on. People have shelves, closets, basements full of STASH.

Sometimes I spend so much time shopping for the items, I run out of time to do the inspired craft! Or I simply lose all of my motivation. That's even worse. Due to this and my busy life, I actually craft a lot less than I would like! At this moment, my stash is split up between my apartment and my old house...They will be combined at sometime soon and then I will completely run out of stash storage space in my new place. And be warned when you look at the photos, my STASH is really just a stash. It's teeny tiny compared to others...but really...do I need a cabinet of fabric? I think not.

Here is my current STASH - Part 1.

Part 2 will be documented as soon as I can...but haven't you seen enough already? Stashes never look nice. That's why mine is shoved into cabinets and my closet...

This, along with my dedication to eco-chic crafting, inspired me to take part in The T-Shirt Diaries' Spring Stashbust!!!

This journey means that I will only use crafting supplies already found in my stash. I believe that this will help both the planet and my pocket...and motivate me to finally create some of the items on my Crafting To-Do List. Being creative shouldn't mean using resources every step of the way...I already focus on buying what I can used and upcycling items I already own (like my my upcycled flower wreath). Stashbusting will give me the reason to focus on what I have - not what I need. And maybe get around to finally sewing my ruffle pillowcases that I bought the fabric for a month ago and an apron or two that were meant as gifts for Valentine's Day...oops.

Look for the Stashbusting logo on all items that have helped cut my stash for 30 days - or until May 6th. I will post updated stash photos then along with completed projects...Can't wait to see what I accomplish!

Ribbon pillow

Eco-Chic Craft: Upcycled Flower Wreath

Do you ever have trouble finding time to be crafty? To create? To explore your imagination? I do! My life is so busy that when I'm at home, I dread the thought of setting up my sewing machine...and cutting out patterns. That is my least favorite part of sewing...

Besides the cuteness of this flower wreath, it is most appealing because it is so easy to make - and very difficult to mess up! All I needed was a lazy Sunday night with The Office streaming constantly on Netflix and I was GTG (good to go).

Side note: My goal is to have all or most of my crafting adventures have an eco-chic factor to them. Ok, so this is obvious because of the name of my blog, but also because crafting can quickly become an expensive hobby that uses lots of resources. I try to focus on finding most of my crafting supplies at thrift stores, antique stores, or my stash. There will be an eco-chic inventory at the end of every craft to see how well I can hold myself accountable to this goal...

I took inventory of my supplies...For this project, you will need a styrofoam wreath, flower punches, an old magazine (Real Simple worked amazing well for me), pins, and some white scrap paper (I save old mail, forms, even resumes to print Groupons, etc on I just pulled some out of my printer stash).

[caption id="attachment_450" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Supplies..."][/caption]

Then, you punch. And punch. And punch. Then you get almost done with your project, run out of large flowers, and punch some more! The small flowers were almost therapeutic but the large flowers were kind of frustrating. The leftover paper kept getting stuck in the puncher.

The punching noise is very distracting for your partner who might also be watching The Office...I found that just ignoring him and punching out a little bit faster resolved this issue. But that might not work so well for you...bribery in the form of chocolate or a freshly-carbonated Soda Stream works in my house too.

[caption id="attachment_449" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lots o' flowers punched during an episode of The Office...but not enough! "][/caption]

Do some layering and pinning...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="255" caption="Layer them like so..."][/caption]

Making progress...At this point I wasn't so sure that I was in love with my end results. My wreath isn't quite as classy as the example that I was following but it fits my home's style a bit more. Playful and messy. More messy than playful but whatevs.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="356" caption="Another episode or two of The Office goes by..."][/caption]

And then we are finished!! You can use ribbon to hang it on the wall...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="371" caption="Finished!! Ribbon on stand by..."][/caption]

But I haven't yet...I just used a leftover pin until it finds a forever (aka Spring) home in our apartment...and now I love it! It might be moved to my office for a playful decoration...

[caption id="attachment_446" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Bringing Spring to our walls! "][/caption]

You can also see a mirror that we scooped up at Rogers Flea Market waiting to be painted and hung up...It's been there for, well, awhile. And is now officially on the to-do list!

Eco-chic Supplies - Styrofoam wreath (Goodwill), repurposed magazine and paper, ribbon from earlier project

New Supplies - 2 flower punches (but already have several other uses for them!) and pins (will be used on future sewing projects).

One of the best eco-chic factors of this wreath is that it will be completely recycled and repurposed when its end comes! It's the circle of crafting...

Places I link to...Check them out and let them out for more great posts!