Alternative Uses for Dryer Sheets

I don't know if this works, but it is worth a try for some of them!

Alternative Uses for Dryer Sheets

Sustainable Valentine?

I love you Shane. Thanks, I love you, and this meant so much! I'm keeping them on my bedside. 

DIY Felted Wool Mittens from Hey What's for Dinner Mom?:

Hey What's for Dinner Mom?: DIY Felted Wool Mittens: DIY Felted Wool Mittens that don't require knitting, these are made from an old felted sweater and take just 30 quick minutes OR LESS t...

Make a purse out of Grocery bags!

I love this! From another blog post:
http://mimoknits.typepad.com/knitting/2008/04/grocery-bag-pur.html
Please go check it out!

Patron Vases

This is a picture of one of my favorite examples of reusing.
I love flowers. I love fresh cut flowers in vases through out the house.
I love vases that have no risk of tipping over as the result of over zealous children.
These vases are such an example.

























I am NOT a big fan of tequila, but any friend who is, you are welcome to give me your empty bottles of Patron!

Green Bottles and 1% for the planet

I am looking into a group called Green Bottle online, and their use of 1% for the Planet, as a fund raiser for a non-profit organization I am involved with.

The Green Bottle™ was designed as a solution to the problems caused by the massive worldwide use of disposable plastic water bottles. In the USA alone, we waste nearly 2.5 million plastic water bottles per hour. These plastic water bottles are leeching harmful chemicals into our drinking water and causing a massive disposal problem in our landfills. Additionally the Green Bottle™ is a perfect replacement for those plastic sports bottles that may contain BPA.

The Green Bottle™ parent company is Pure & Simple Solutions, L.L.C. . Green Bottle™ has partnered with 1% for the Planet and has committed to donate a minimum of 1% of all proceeds to non-profit institutions that help protect and maintain our environment and our planet!

The Green Bottle™ is a refreshing alternative to pizza, wrapping paper, candy, cookie dough and other existing fundraisers. The Green Bottle™ is a profitable, healthy, reusable, eco-friendly product that your group will enjoy selling. Green Bottle™ appeals to all ages, will last a lifetime and truly makes a difference in all our lives. Fundraising with Green Bottle™ can also show your groups support for all green initatives in your community.

Green Bottle™ offers you a substantial profit margin of 50%. With no up front fees, no minimum order and no long term contract, we will provide you with a customized fundraiser kit that makes Green Bottle™ fundraising truly effortless.

Reusable Dryer Lint?

I have heard of reusable ways to use dryer sheets, but dryer lint? Well, believe it or not, yes you can now re-use your dryer lint, for of all things, the children.

I recently picked up the Real Simple Fall 2009 Family special edition, hoping that I could find some special nugget for streamlining my back to school schedule, find a fast dinner recipe for those busy soccer evenings, or maybe just maybe find some nice back to school supply that would bring a smile to my children's faces. Never did I imagine finding something that would fit so perfectly on my blog.

The page in the magazine has been dog eared and long forgotten for a few weeks, until tonight when SP picked it up and I heard him shriek, "Now that is disgusting!" and I knew exactly what he had found. So you might think it's disgusting, and you might even think me crazy for finding merit in this activity for children that reuses of all things dryer lint, but if you know me at all by now you will know that I just love the ingenuity in this precious find.

So what is this find?

for the original recipe, please click the link below
Dryer Lint as Modeling Dough


To make the modeling dough:
1. Place 3 cups (shredded) dryer lint into a pot.
2. Pour in 2 cups water.
3. Stir in 1 cup flour.
4. Add ½ teaspoon vegetable oil.
5. If desired, add food coloring.

6. Stir continuously over low heat until the mixture binds together and is of a smooth consistency.

7. Pour onto a sheet of wax paper to cool.

8. Shape as you wish.

I have not tried this recipe yet, but if Real Simple published it, it must work. I am also still happily using my clothesline, so I am not creating too much dryer lint these days, but I can guarantee you that when the colder months come and I am home alone with Baby, this is one activity we will most certainly be trying! I will let you know how it goes and take some pictures of the little critters we make.

Recycline - Preserve Everyday!

Our dear friend Mona, a waste water engineer, just sent me a link from this website about a buy back program for #5 plastics. Mona (we miss you!) is always a great resource for plastics in the environment, drinking water, and how they leech into our foods. It was Mona who got me to stop reheating my leftovers in plastic containers and to be cautious about just how many times I reuse a plastic bottle. She is also a great resource for carcinogens or other nasty products in our health and beauty products. Anyway, today is about plastic. In our town we are fortunate to have a single sort that takes #1 through #7 plastics, but I know that much of the country is less fortunate and can only recycle #1 through #3. So please go to this site and educate yourself about some of the possibilities.
http://www.recycline.com/
From recycling Britta filters to buying toothbrushes made from old Stonyfield yogurt containers, all of Preserve's products are made from 100% recycled materials. I know someone in my family who is going to be getting some of their products for Christmas! This is very exciting!
http://www.recycline.com/products.html

Saving what you have...reusing

This post has more to do with my recipe post than not as it is a by product of my cooking. However, I truly feel that you should use as much of what you have as possible. From animals you hunt to the by products or wastes from cooking, everything can be used or even reused especially if you compost! In this case, I have saved the stock from a roast and frozen it in ice cube trays. Alongside at the older stock cubes saved from a leftover in the fridge. In either case, freeze it in ice cube trays, one cube equals one ounce. We discovered this when making baby food and that is a perfect way to measure.