Everyone wants Mardi Gras beads. Even those who don't live in New Orleans. I don't reside in "The Big Easy," but I do live in "The Big Guava," a.k.a. Tampa, Florida. We don't have the Mardi Gras parade, but we do host an annual pirate festival called Gasparilla -- which celebrates the arrival of a mythical pirate named Jose Gaspar who comes into town every year with his band of buccaneers to invade the city. Basically, it's Mardi Gras with a pirate theme -- and lots of beads! … [Read more...]
Free Materials For DIY Projects: Where To Get Free Pallets, Barrels, Landscaping Materials & More!
Want free materials for DIY recycling projects, arts & crafts, gardening, landscaping projects, etc? You'd be surprised how many DIY crafting and recycling items you can get for free -- but you've got to know where to look for them. Believe it or not, even in this day and age where it seems that it may cost money just to breathe (I'm not kidding!), there are still plenty of ways you can score free materials for crafting art projects, finishing DIY home improvement tasks, and … [Read more...]
5 Recycled Art Projects And Gift Ideas Using Old Magazines, Newspapers & Phone Books
I walked home the other day and found a phone book at my door. As a kid, I actually used to read them for the advertising. (I had an interest in marketing.) Now, I recycle them. Come to think about it, I probably haven't opened a phone book to look for a phone number since about 2010. We have the Internet to help us find the phone numbers we want. But I always feel pretty guilty throwing a perfectly good phone book right into the trash. … [Read more...]
Eco Friendly Car Wash Supplies + 5 Ways To Save Water And The Environment!
Conventional wisdom says that an automatic car wash is the best thing for the environment. But I was wondering -- is there a way that I can wash my car DIY style and minimize water use and the disposal of soapy residue into the storm drain or the nearby pond? I've been washing my family's cars since I could hold a rag. I never honestly even gave much thought about the environmental impact of washing cars until I was already 9 years old and my hometown was subject to watering … [Read more...]
Easy Fall Foliage Recycling Ideas: Ways To Reuse Autumn’s Colorful Leaves At Home
When autumn comes and the fall foliage begins changing color, that usually means its time to break the rake out and start bagging up tons of fallen leaves. Must read: 7 Easier Ways To Rake Leaves... And Keep It Fun! Many people just scoop the pounds upon pounds of brown, orange, and yellow leaves into big black yard bags and set them out on the curb in the garbage heap. But as I've learned over the years, there are many more productive things you can do with fallen leaves than just … [Read more...]
Recycling A 1980s Kitchen: Green DIY Ideas To Make An Old Kitchen Look (Almost) New
My fiancée and I just began renting a condominium in Central Florida. We are thrilled to have found a bargain in a great community, but the old 1980s kitchen we are inheriting as tenants of this condo has us feeling like we are living in a time capsule direct from the decade of our births. Our condo was built in 1982, and – let me tell you – this place leaves many clues that it was built in the early 1980s: Brass lighting fixtures with smoked glass globe lighting Dark gray HVAC register … [Read more...]
New Uses For Old Hub Caps: 3 Fun Ways To Reuse Hubcaps
Back in February 2013, the 1985 Dodge Ram 250 B series van that my family bought brand new was totaled in an accident (thankfully nobody was seriously hurt). Afterward, I began wondering if there was any way to memorialize the vehicle that had spent so many years in our family by finding a way to reuse the hubcaps, which are a signature part of any vehicle. I ended up repurposing the old Dodge van hubcaps, body side molding, interior headliner, and other parts from the vehicle to create a … [Read more...]
Computer DIY: How To Remove An Old Hard Drive & Use It As An External Hard Drive
Ever wondered how to recycle hard drive parts from your computer? I had to find this out for myself after a very sorrowful incident one night. I had a mug of coffee in one hand and my trusty Dell laptop computer on my lap. I went to take a sip from the mug of coffee, and my right elbow seized up (probably a cramp due to overworking at the computer). Well, let’s just say the computer was about to see its last moments as a functioning piece of equipment, as the cup then titled, and I … [Read more...]
An Effective Natural Weed Killer Recipe That’s Cheap To Make And Easy To Use
Spring is in the air, and we all know what that means: weeds are in full flourish. Normally, I would just take a couple hours once every weekend and proceed to stoop down and yank these weeds out while tending to my housekeeping duties. This year, though, I've decided to try something different: a natural weed killer. Why did it take me this long to abandon the back-grinding ritual of pulling weeds by hand? Honestly, I don't know! But what I do know is that I didn't care to spray weed … [Read more...]
Green Living: 6 Ways To Build An Eco-Friendly House
With the ongoing financial recession, along with the global warming, my husband and I decided that it was time for a drastic change. A change for good -- for the good of us as a family, as well as to contribute to the whole Earth's well being. We have always been eco-conscious, not wasting energy, recycling, etc. However, when living in the big city started getting a bit too tough in terms of bills and pollution, we decided that it was high time we did something. Remodeling our current … [Read more...]
