Clicking around, I found these amazing Rocket Lamps by Frankreich Design (I think?  Having a hard time finding more info in English.  If you know of anything, let me know…).  From what I can tell, these colorful old containers, bins, pans have been stacked and wired and make the coolest lamps.  I want one in my house. Available at. o.k. Versand

I think these are pretty and functional, I’d rather have this in my kitchen for trash and recycling than the not-a-bit-of-style blue and green recycling bins.  Recycling is cool and smart, why can’t the accessories be more like these! at DesignOnline.

Here’s your chance to win some of my favorite Happy-Sacks.  Happy Sacks needs a new name – so email your ideas to: info@happy-sacks.com and if Erin chooses your name you get…a waste-free-lunch starter kit to say thanks! (That’s 1 lunch-sack, 1 sandwich-sack and 2 snack-sacks, ready to hold your good eats!).

I was fortunate to get my first Envirosax bag (above) from a blog win.  I am even more fortunate to remember to bring my bags with me.  This one is always with me. It folds down to pretty much nothing, fits perfectly in my bag, or even my back pocket, and unfolds to hold so much, sometimes it can be heavy!  But unlike plastic, it doesn’t rip or fall apart. I have some other larger bags that don’t fold down, and they live in the trunk of the car, and sometimes, I forget them.

I am always surprized by cashiers when they are shocked that I brought my own bag.  Really? I mean how hard is it to bring your own bags?  I bring them everywhere for everything.  I brought them to Target with me once, and the person in line before me remarked about how I was a better person than her because I wasn’t going home with a Target bag. (I was at Target the Saturday after Black Friday, and so sad to see not one single person brought their own bag.  And, Target wasn’t reminding people to bring their own bags.  Isn’t it the responsibility of us all to not use these plastic bags anymore?)  It’s not that hard, and there are so many great options out there.

Check out the new prints at Envirosax.  Their Botanica line, from their Graphics Series:

From their site:

Inspired by the world’s rainforests, the BOTANICA® Series offers five new fun, fresh graphic prints. “I once lived on damaged rainforest land and spent years regenerating the area to its former beauty,” said Belinda David-Tooze, founder of Envirosax, “after much success with this project, I was moved to design BOTANICA™ and bring attention to the dire urgency of rainforest conservation. Once BOTANICA goes on sale, we will be encouraging customers to use our website to learn more about a rainforest in their region.”

BOTANICA™ is available for retail sale on www.envirosax.com now, right in time for the holiday season. Like other Envirosax bags, BOTANICA™ bags are lightweight, portable, sturdy, and of course, stylish. Each bag holds the equivalent of two supermarket bags and fits snugly on your shoulder. Individual bags are $8.50, and a pouch of the 5-bag series is $37.95.

So – go do it the right way.  No more plastic/paper disposable bags.  Go support the environment and bring your own bags.  If you don’t sew, these are great bags, and they look so great, and make you look cool, shouting out that you are stylishly saving the planet, a bag at a time.  You can stay up to date and follow their blog.

or delicate wall adornments

or cushions.

I’m glad someone out there is making those nasty plastic bags pretty.  I’m glad they won’t be in the landfill and can still be useful.  I think the organic shapes are very pretty, I’ve always been inspired by lace, so delicate and carefully made.

Thanks to designers block for introducing me to Laura Marsden.

From the super creative Droog.  They are designed so you can add your own rags and clothes.  I also love Come A Little Bit Closer Bench, Nest House, Do Hit Chair, and check out their Labs, very cool.

Felted Sweater Coasters : See these and these and these, oh and these, gosh I love these

Blankets:  I love this one, this one,

Napkins: This is my fave tutorial because I LOVE bias tape. Here’s a tasty one not using bias tape.

Freezer Paper Prints: The ideas have been percolating over here (in my head…), I’m eager to attempt a few….here’s a cute tute, and a bunch of great ideas on Flickr.

Pillows:  In a perfect world I’d love to get some fabric printed and make some groovy pillows.  But I have other ideas for pillows too. here, here, and all of these here.

Bags: The possibilities are just endless.  But this season I’ll probably focus on fabric shopping bags….. I love my EnviroSax, but I think I love my flip&tumble bag more, it’s easier to carry…., but I also love making bags out of found clothing/bedding/fabric.

Looking for your own ideas?  Check out SewMamaSew.  There are so many Handmade Holiday tutes, you are sure to find something for everyone on your list. But start now. Or the list over at down—to—earth.

You don’t have to sew to make your gifts either.  I’ve been cooking up a storm and have been tossing around food gift ideas, maybe a collection of my fave recipes, or ingredients in a jar for my fave soup or cookies.

The possibilites are endless, so I’m making my list and checking it twice, going through my supplies and doing a little bit every week.  I’m hoping to get together with some of my fellow craftettes and plow through the project list so I’m not late!

What are you going to make for the holidays?

I don’t really ride a bike anymore. I have in the past, but I am so NOT a fan of traffic. But then I saw this bike from a Bike Hugger photo and well, I think I might just have to add this to my wish list. This is the Townie from Electra. It reminds me of when I lived in Cape May for a summer and rode my bike everywhere. Fuel prices make me want to ride my bike again. It comes in really dreamy fabulous colors and I love the bag on the back! I wonder if I can get a toddler attachment for it…..

Now that we live in the country, we have room for gardens, and we grow lots of our own veggies each season. Not only does it feel good for the soul, it’s so good for our bodies and our environment. There’s no fuel spent to deliver or pick up the food, we bond over gardening and are so proud of our harvest. For what we can’t grow, we purchase a share of our CSA. It won’t start until July, as we have a small growing window in New England, but knowing that the food is grown organically, locally and with the kind hands of our friendly farmers, makes it even more delicious.

Every day we are more and more conscious of our health and our environment and have known that the well being of each is dependent upon each other. We strive to eat as local as possible, choose things from the super market that are in season, and make as much as our own food as we have time for.

I’ve just started reading food blogs. I probably started cooking in the late 90s, after moving to Seattle and having a kitchen that we could cook in. I’m not a “natural” cook, but I am really, really interested and I’m always looking to learn more. One of my favorite blogs is Bitten, the NYTimes food blog. Mark Bittman, the blog’s author has recently spoken at TED. I think you should stop and listen. It’s 20 minutes, maybe listen one night while cooking dinner. I think it’s important.

Please make sure you know where your food comes from and the how the choices you make impact your body and the global environment. Please Eat Repsonsibly.

I find that being the mom of a 3 year old, I am getting much better at dealing with the time I have to do projects.  I find myself working through my creative ideas while doing the dishes, preparing meals, driving to the grocery store.  I dream about my projects, practice them in my mind, make a prototype in my dreams, all this so when I have the five minutes to try it, I can actually make it.

I’ve been spending the last month on what to make with all our scraps from our Eco-Quilts.  I’ll eventually post a list of all the projects I’ve researched – so you can use your scraps too.  But I’m really excited about what we’ll be making over the next couple of weeks in our HomeSchool Sewing Class.  Week one, we’re making Scrap Flowers (just in time for Mother’s Day).  Week two, Fabric Beads.  I think the LuckyStitchers will be all scrapped out by then, so we’ll be making a bucket hat during the latter part of the month.

What I really, really love about my classes at LuckyStitches, is that each person walks away with their very own creation.  Each quilt we’ve made last month is completely unique.  There was no set pattern, only a technique that was introduced.  These creative minds can explore cutting and sewing so they can dream about it too and create their very own items, articles and art.  Nothing is wrong.  Everything is right and wonderful.

At the end of next week I’ll post our Scrap Flowers and let you know how we did it, so you can make your own too (or for the mom in your life…Mother’s Day is coming!).  They are really, really quick.  In the meantime, go grab your scraps.  If you are sewing this week, don’t toss your tiny scraps, keep them.  They work perfectly for these next two projects!