Green Living
OH Guide: The wonderful, wacky, wormy world of home composting
Submitted by wendy on April 21, 2012 - 9:46amWe had a basic, basic plastic container worm bin about four years ago, which didn't yield a substantial amount of rich humus. However, maintaining the box proved to be fruitful in an entirely different way. Our young son (4 at the time) was totally mesmerized by the bin and its squirmy occupants which opened up several discussions on worms, recycling and taking care of living things. Who knew a silly little bin would hold so many teachable moments? I was crushed when we no longer were able to maintain it due to a home remodel (RIP worms).
- Read more
- 4893 reads
Post-Easter/pre-Earth Day egg shell to seedling container DIY
Submitted by wendy on April 16, 2012 - 10:01amEaster is over and Earth Day is almost here. Why not impress the kids and get a jump start on the greening with this clever idea from Chronicle Books for turning your empty egg shells into seedling containers?
- Read more
- 1627 reads
DIY leaf connect the dots
Submitted by wendy on November 14, 2011 - 11:45amFall is here in full force! And as the leaves cover the ground in a beautiful blanket of deliciously warm Autumn colors our leaf collection continues growing (out of control). We've been having a blast doing all sorts of fun projects with our fall treasures. However, the leaf rubbings are getting a little played out. Becky of My Kids Make offers this simple activity for making leaf connect the dots. A few fall leaves, paper and pencil. How clever is that?
- Read more
- 802 reads
Bring some Fall magic indoors: Make wax-dipped hanging leaves
Submitted by wendy on September 14, 2011 - 11:07amFamily walks are a whole new level of special when Autumn rolls in to show off it's beauty. And my kids (expert leaf hunters) make sure we arrive home with a baker's dozen worth of fresh leaves on each and every outing. We count them, make crayon rubbings of them, craft crowns, masks and fans out of them. Then, they dry up and become a crunchy mess all over my floor. It's kinda sad to see their demise. Wouldn't it be nice to enjoy their beauty the entire season and beyond?
- Read more
- 1196 reads
CD case fimo labyrinth for your summer bag of tricks
Submitted by wendy on May 26, 2011 - 10:39amTime to start filling the ol' summer bag of tricks with a few good ideas (that is if you treasure your sanity). Here's a cool project for making a CD case fimo labyrinth contributed by Teri of Giddy Giddy on Bloesem Kids. It's the perfect go-to summer project when things get hairy with the kids.
- Read more
- 1871 reads
Turn plastic toys into uber-cool art (and other stuff)
Submitted by wendy on May 12, 2011 - 11:19amI admit our home is overrun with small plastic toys...Boo, hiss!...I KNOW plastic...Don't judge! Despite our best attempts to provide eco-friendly playthings for our kids these bright colored pieces of death are the most popular toys in our home providing hours of imaginative play. However, that doesn't solve/rationalize the unequal toy-to-kid ratio of our already spaced challenged living space.
- Read more
- 1833 reads
Engage 360: By Californians, For Californians
Submitted by wendy on April 4, 2011 - 11:41amHey Engage 360, count Otterhop.com 'in' with your smart energy movement. Like other concerned parents, we want a brighter future for our children (and their children's children!). We all have a role to play in meeting future energy needs. It's a cause that transcends politics, socio-economic boundaries and geography. Let's work together as Californians to make our future golden.
If you live in California -- take a moment and Like Engage 360 on Facebook to show your support!
- Read more
- 1216 reads
OH Repost: Turn yesterday's news into fun fall bunting
Submitted by wendy on November 4, 2010 - 10:41amAfter seeing Maya*Made's tutorial for fall newspaper bunting I knew I just had to jump into Autumn action.
- Read more
- 2263 reads
OH Repost: Craft a Dia De Los Muertos necklace
Submitted by wendy on October 26, 2010 - 10:54amDia De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a notable holiday falling after Halloween and is celebrated by many Mexican and Latin American families. The holiday is a vivacious and spirited celebration of the deceased honoring their lives and life itself.
Wikipedia:
- Read more
- 1812 reads
Make a paper bag candy bowl as sweet as the treats it holds
Submitted by wendy on October 26, 2010 - 10:40amThis papier mache candy bowl by Ellen Luckett Baker of The Long Thread is simply too sweet. What trick or treater wouldn't want to dive their costumed paws into one of these bowls made from recycled materials...What trick or treat supplier wouldn't want to make one of these bowls then fill it to the brim with yummy Halloween treats?
Ellen:
- Read more
- 1477 reads












