Open Space Productions

Helping You To Live Green Every Day

Recycling old jeans into useful items

Recycling old jeans into useful items

In this week’s edition of “Gather your Garbage” Wednesday, we are going to discuss recycling old jeans.

We all have them. Our kids outgrow them, heck let’s just admit it…WE outgrow them too. ACK! The question is what do we do with all of that oh so useful fabric? I cringe at the thought of just throwing old jeans away. There are too many projects on the internet from extremely talented people to just waste them. Not when they can easily be recycled into other useful items.

Today, let’s keep it simple and make a pocket magnet. This could not be more simple.

1. Cut out pocket from jeans.
2. Glue recycled magnet onto back.
3. Hang on fridge.
4. Done.

The recycled magnets can come from anywhere. I generally have magnetic business cards I get from various places that I cut up and use for projects.

Now if you want to get really creative, you can embellish your pocket with recycled lace, recycled fabric, etc. Mine are plain. I particularly like carpenter jean pockets on the fridge. They are deep and can hold a lot of stuff.

In a future posting, I’m going to show you how to deconstruct a pair of jeans to get the most use out of it so you can make dozens of projects with just one pair!

Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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You’ve Got (NO) Mail

Green eco-friendly mail options

As I was sitting down choosing topics and writing again after months of not writing on this blog, I chose topics such as green weddings, green baby showers, green graduations and it occurred to me that invitations are a big part of all of these events.

You’ve Got Mail

That’s a very well recognized 3 words having been born with the infancy of the internet in homes. Email was very new then and more of a novelty than a necessity. It has grown into even more than a necessity and as it continues to evolve, the need for the actual post office may change dramatically.

Not only will invitations be sent over the internet, many people already receive their bills online and even pay online eliminating the need to use the post office or stamps. This is good for the consumer, not so good for a business that has been plagued by budget inefficiencies as it was.

I can foresee a day where the post office as we know it ceases to exist. There will still be a need for packages to be delivered so maybe they can more compete with the likes of UPS or Fed Ex. I can see this happening in my own lifetime. It will be impossible for my parents to get used to, difficult for me to get used to, easier for my children to change over and my grandchildren will never even remember getting a letter or card in the mail.

Not only does this effect the delivery that the post office does and eliminates the need for those jobs, it will also eliminate the need for cards, envelopes, stamps and paper being mailed. With those gone, so too are those jobs.

While I am all for the reductions if not elimination of so much paper uses, I do wonder where these people who currently hold these kinds of jobs will end up. Granted, this is years down the road yet so transition will take place as time progresses. It is difficult to envision the future without the post office and getting mail. Then again, I recall a time where you had to get up to turn the channel on the television, where there was no such thing as a microwave or where the telephone had a rotary dial. This too shall transition. The question is are we ready for it.

Image: Felixco, Inc. / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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5 Budget Friendly and Green Wedding Reception Centerpieces That Look Expensive

DIY Wedding Centerpiece

Although the dream of getting married hasn’t changed, how it is accomplished has changed a lot. People are not only more interested in cutting costs wherever they can, it is a necessity for most couples to have a nice wedding inexpensively.  The added benefit of being green is very appealing to many couples.

Of all the items and details needed about a wedding, centerpieces seem to be one of the more thought provoking items on the list. Unfortunately, they are considered budget busters and can really take away from other important aspects of the wedding by having to cut back elsewhere. However, if a couple is careful about what they choose and what their expectations are, it is absolutely possible to create or purchase beautiful centerpieces that won’t break the wedding budget. Thinking outside the box so to speak, low cost centerpieces that are very attractive and expensive looking is a doable solution. Let’s take a look at 5 great budget friendly ideas that look expensive.

1. Paper Flower Centerpieces:

Wait, don’t skip over this. At first read, the idea of paper flowers seems odd and the vision in your head is cheap looking. It seems like it may be too frugal. The in thing to do for most any occasion is DIY and green items. Paper flowers you can do yourself and they can be made out of items that would otherwise not be considered for projects such as tissue paper. Good quality paper flowers look quite elegant and you can learn to do these yourself with a simple pattern or you can purchase them already fully assembled at a reasonable price from a good crafter. If you find somebody locally, this makes it an even more green option.

2. Wedding favors:

Nicely arranged favors can often be used as centerpieces serving a double duty. These can be enhanced with a few inexpensive candles to create a lovely gift that your guests can take home. They could also be enhanced with inexpensive glasses or any number of items. These are easy ways for you to decorate your reception tables and show appreciation for your guests who were able to attend your wedding at the same time. People will talk about this type of centerpiece for years to come.

3. Orchids:

Orchids are very beautiful. The plants are nice enough on their own to create memorable centerpieces. Aside from looking expensive, they can be purchased for less than you might think. For about $20, you can add a large touch of elegance to an otherwise bland table. Use these lovely flowers in addition to other inexpensive ideas you have decided upon and you will have a classy and inspiring centerpiece you can be proud of. Because these are plants, they can be taken home by your guests and not end up in the landfill.

4. Pillar Candles:

Pillar candles come in many sizes, colors and scents. In a grouping with some added embellishments or tied with ribbon, they look absolutely stunning especially when lit. The different sizes and arrangements create interesting textures and arrangements. They look nice and with so many choices, they are a good option for inexpensive centerpieces that look expensive. Candles are one thing that can always be purchased inexpensively no matter what time of year they are needed. The only other determining factor of candles is the burn time consideration. Be sure that you choose a burn time that will allow them to burn the entire reception without burning out.

5. Food:

There is going to be food at the reception anyway so utilizing it as a part of the centerpiece is a brilliant idea. This is fast becoming a popular option. When done right, this is a very elegant way of displaying good food in a way that is beautiful. Try creating clusters of fruit or vegetables as centerpieces. These are all colorful items that look really elegant. This also offers your guests the opportunity of some appetizers the minute they sit down so they do not have to wait for a bite to eat before being served the main courses. Food centerpieces are less expensive than flowers and serve that dual purpose of feeding your guests.

As you can see, by using your imagination and thinking outside the box, coming up with inexpensive centerpieces that are also earth friendly for your special day can be one piece of stress you can cross off of your never ending wedding planning list. Remember, it is perfectly acceptable to be cheap as long as it doesn’t look cheap.  Being green on top of that is an accomplishment any couple should be very proud of achieving.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Image: Rosen Georgiev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Glass Tile Pendant Necklace – Tutorial and Photos

Tis the season.

As promised, we are going to start some projects for a frugal gift giving season. These are all new to me so if I can do them, trust me….you can too! I am uncrafty.

I found this tutorial at Sugar Bee Crafts and thought they were really cute! So, I bought a “kit” at Candy Tiles on Etsy. I got the 10 pack of tiles, chains, bails and diamond glaze for less than $25 shipped. That’s $2.50 per gift because that is all you need to buy…no, really, that is all. you. need. to. buy. because we are going to use recycled materials for the rest of the project.

Glass Tile Pendant
These are the supplies you will need to order.

Recycled magazine and paint chips
These are the recycled items I was considering when making one of these. Any pretty picture from a magazine, book, sheet music….anything really. I ended up being drawn to these pretty pictures in the pain chip section at wal mart and I tried several out before deciding on the one that I did.

Recycled Paint Chips
This is the design I decided on. It is cardstock thickness which is nice and can be found in the paint chip section at wal mart. There are several colors and designs there. Pretty nice!

All you do is simply cut out what you want to show through the glass, put a thin coat of diamond glaze on the glass, set the picture on it, do a second coat of glaze and let dry. It doesn’t take long and then you can super glue the bail on. You must be careful here because we all know (or should) that super glue only gives you a split second to decide where to put something. My bail is slightly off center because of that. It’s ok, a first try and it’s mine to keep so I can live with it.

Glass Tile Pendant
Wa La! A pretty glass tile pendant necklace that only cost $2.50 to make. The more you buy in that kit, the lower th price is going to be.

I suspect you can use photographs, pretty scrapbook paper, anything really.

Enjoy! I’d love to see what you come up with!

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End of Summer

As summer draws to a close, it is time to get back to the blogosphere. It’s been a lovely season full of fun and discovery.

We bought a used pop up camper at the end of June and have been enjoying it a lot. Purchasing a used camper fits into our lifestyle of reduce, reuse and recycle. We also camp locally….like not over 30 miles from home so that saves on fuel which is better for the planet. It’s also fun. We are able to be together as a family, dedicate some time to further hobbies such as hiking and photography. I will have to share some of our great summer photos on the photoblog http://www.theblogphotog.com from our trips.

After this weekend – the unofficial end to summer being Labor Day – we will start looking into some great projects that we an use in the house, some will make great gifts as well and we all know that the holidays sneak up on us faster than we’d like.

Until then, I hope your summer was as fabulous as it could be. It always goes by too fast!

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