CRAFTS, BAKING & COZY HOBBIES FOR A CREATIVE HOME

My favorite casual dining Italian restaurant uses a risographed paper placemat and cutlery wrapped in tiny brown paper bags. I love  it's down -to-earth, eco-chic look. I wanted to recreate the same style for a cozy cafe feeling when  friends come over for coffee and cupcakes. Instead of using risographed design, I go for the charm of  rustic, hand-stamped  accents.


DIY Hand-stamped Paper Placemat

Materials:

• Pattern paper
• Paper cutter/scallop scissors
• Rubber stamp
• Stamp pad

 1. Using a paper cutter, cut out a letter sized 8.5 rectangle from the pattern paper.

2. Add shape to the edges by adding a scallop shaped design. You can use a scallop scissor or paper  puncher.

3. Stamp border using your rubber stamp design of choice.

Book bag craft from Country Living

Book Picture Frame from Papernstitch

Mark my words bookmark from We Wilsons

DIY Book Planters from Apartment Therapy

Attention, bookworms! If you have old books that are sincerely in need of recycling, these ingenious crafts are great projects to try.

For fashion loving peeps, I have a giveaway from Shabby Apple coming soon. Stay tuned!

Update: Fast forward to 2018! For more information and insight about recycling, check out this helpful article from John Hawthorne. It's a great read! Let's do our part in recycling because whether we deny it or not, climate change is real. Happy recycling!

I was clearing my workspace this morning when I  noticed a cluster of mineral water/vitamin water bottles in a corner. I was about to throw them in the trash when something stopped me. I could possibly find a cool eco friendly tutorial that could make use of this ubiquitous landfill monster. Tonight as I was browsing korean DIY power blog Tweety Atelier for origami projects, I found this recycled vitamin water canister tutorial.  What a cool, serendipitous find! Now I know what to do with these water bottles and with my printed cotton twill stash.

Happy weekend!

P.S. My blog now has a header! I finally discovered how to tweak blogger's dynamic view template. Yay for  pleasant discoveries!

Eureka! I have found the perfect eco friendly desk organizer.  As part of my 7 Things List for 2012 I will be more earth friendly and organized in the coming year. I guess my desk is a good place to start this practice.    

See how the recycled pulp paper packaging of an HP printer smartly converts into a nifty desk organizer box. I love how everything fits nicely inside the box.

I'm off to make a hot cocoa mix (or iced cocoa mix if live in hot climes). Will share the recipe later. Ciao!

It was love at first sight when I first saw Nostalgia Organics' vintage style packaging concept. Imagine whimsically themed, yummy scented organic soap daintily wrapped  in the sweetest eco-printed vintage style paper. The paper pattern is so pretty how I wish it had a fabric version! A couple of years later, Elea (she's the creative dynamo behind this inspiring brand) made every crafter/vintage lover's  wish come true. Her soap wrapper designs are now available as 100% cotton, quilting weight fabrics via the Henrietta Fabric Collection.  In the weeks ahead, a gift wrap paper collection will also be launched.  To celebrate the launch of the Henrietta Fabric Collection, Nostalgia Organics is having a giveaway. Visit the  Joyful Living Blog and tell Elea I sent ya!





If you're looking for sweet, last minute pampering gifts or stocking stuffers check out the Nostalgia Organics Store or the  Nostalgic Organics  ETSY Holiday Store. Indulge! 'Tis the season to get merry makin' and pamperin'!

Thank God for popcorn snack tins with peel-able labels, I can recycle them as desk caddies or pen canisters. This recycled craft project just requires a few embellishments to make it look zakka natural--crocheted lace and cotton fabric label.  This quick DIY was inspired by Tweety Atelier's recycled tape roll canister tutorial.

Thank you to all who participated in the NOVICA giveaway. I've finally drawn a winner and according to Mr. Random Generator the winner of the  NOVICA $75 gift voucher is... 

Just updated the  Sweet Tidings Shop  with  cozy and earth friendly finds for your autumn table. The non-endangered, sustainable Acacia wooden items are only available this season so scoop them while you can.

Meanwhile, enjoy a dose of sunshine on Christen (formerly of Indie Icing)'s happy new blog Good Day Sunshine . Giveaway week has just started so better visit Christen's blog for a chance to win a slew of pretty, pretty handmade goodies.

I've officially switched to eco friendly ballpens! More writing, less landfill waste. Will you join me?

How do you recycle the above? Go to Recycle This for great tips and tricks on how to recycle virtually everything. Let's make it a greener world!