Re-use: Cards! Cards! Cards!

In the past couple of years I've had two kids, which has multiplied the intake of cards in this house by ten.  No, not two, like you would think, ten because kids get more cards than adults do.  And my sister (I love her... can you find the fro pic in the pic above?!) believes that cards should be sent for every special occasion and non-special occasion to each of my three children.  And I love getting cards, but have you ever noticed that after you appreciate that FABULOUS card for a while (and I have a special place in my kitchen where I hang them up until the next batch arrives) you feel absolutely terrible throwing it away?  Especially if it's exceptionally artsy or cute or funny.

So I don't buy cards anymore.  I re-use them.  I started at Christmas this year, and have now gone into full card making mode.  Here are some from this past week:

And if you happened to have sent me one of the cards I've cut up - thank you!

Inspirations

Here is where I will simply place links that have left me inspired or that I've been inspired to go look at!

Big Ideas for a Small Planet - this link it to a show that has been very inspirational to Brandon and me.  It basically gives you a new perspective on how to be greener and how that can leak into all aspects of life.  Art, Business, Kids, Industry, etc.  VERY COOL!

The Great Energy Challenge - found this link in a National Geographic I got from the doctor's office.  It calculates your carbon footprint and shows you the average American family's carbon footprint and how you compare.  A good place too start.

Bonded Logic - I wish these were made locally, but this is a website to a company in Arizona that make insulation out of old jeans.  Talk about CLEAN.  Keep your house warm/cool and don't end up getting itchy or inhaling chemicals while installing it!

JD Stratton Electric, Inc - I had this electrician come and talk to my class when I was teaching engineering at Catholic Central.  Totally down to earth guy making a living doing what he loves.  He makes sustainable energy seem much more within reach for the average joe.

Green Carbon Living - Found this link through a friend on Facebook.  I use Fuzzi Bunz, but this is even more green... just not local (to me).  So if you are thinking about cloth diapers, give it a look!

Recycle: Paper Making

made from screen from an old storm door

To make paper you will need a couple things:

• A screen like the one to the left (this can be any size!  old picture frames were suggested on line)
• A blender
• Old paper (go dig through the recycle bin!)
• Lots of water (to be completely sustainable, leave a basin out before a rainstorm!)
• A large basin

Step #1 - Rip up a bunch of paper.  You can rip up a bunch of old white computer paper and keep your recycled paper "cleaner" or you could use newspaper to give it a gray look or put together piles of similarly colored paper to get the hue you want.  You can also mix in coffee grounds, corn husks, flower petals to give it an artsy touch.

Step #2 - Dump the paper along with about a cup (or more) of warm water into a blender and mix it up.  If you want paper that LOOKS like you made it, blend it so you can see the scraps.  If you want more of an even look, blend it until it's in very small pieces.  This is your "pulp".

Step #3 - Pour the pulp into the basin which should already have enough water in it where you can completely submerge your screen.

Step #4 - MIX it up well, so that the water is very cloudy.

Step #5 - Dunk the screen under so it's fully submerged and pull it up slowly letting the water come out the bottom evenly.

Step #6 - After all the water that will drip out on its own is gone, place the screen on a felt blanket and then put a screen, piece of plastic, anything that will NOT stick to the top of the paper (I put packing tape over a piece of cardboard) on top of the paper and gently push out the excess water.

Step #7 - this takes finesse and practice!  Flip the screen so that the paper can fall out.  We found that you can gently hit the screen.  If you want to wait until the paper has dried, that is fine, but we were impatient and wanted to make many sheets :)

Step #8 - (Optional) place your paper on an ironing board, place a towel over the paper and iron it out.

Enjoy your own recycled paper!  Logan got a kick out making his BLUE paper.  He brought it to school and had a piece for each of his classmates :)

Our second day's batch!