Toolbox, Tub, Flowers Oh My!

Today is looking like we will be in the 90's, so after chores, errands and a trip to the dentist, I'm really hoping my day will include a date with an old rusty tool box, a vintage cast iron bath tub, lots of dirt and flowers.

I'll post pictures as soon as I have some ready, but in the meantime a couple of pictures I discovered will serve as my inspiration and give you a little hint as to what I am up to...

Found this tool box example of rusty goodness at
confessionsofacurbshopaholic.com

Yes, I will be doing a version of this, and my husbands reaction was priceless!

  

My bathtub will look oh so sweet decked out in flowers like this one that had been shared on

funflowerfacts.com

and if I ask my husband to drag it around the yard one more time...well let's just say he didn't have a smile on his face, but he loves me and knows me. I'm am one lucky girl he's so understanding.

I will be back soon with pictures of my own soon, I promise...until then have a great day and thanks for spending a little bit of your day with me.

Have a great day!

Toodles

Finally A Moment To Blog About Hotel Recycling

    As I had shared in my last post, I was intrigued by the recycling and other green policies of the hotel I was staying in at the time. The hotel being the Portland Marriott Residence Inn At Riverplace in Portland, Oregon.
     I was there for 8 days because my mom had a very complex surgery at a nearby hospital that meant a few days in ICU and several days in the hospital. The Marriott was convenient, affordable, had some great amenities and as I had mentioned before I was intrigued and pleased by their recycling and green policies.
   The first thing I noticed upon arrival to my suite was a list hanging on the refrigerator that outlined the items that could be placed into a special trash can for recycling. The kitchen sink had a garbage disposal for waste food items, a special magnetic sign was provided if you wanted to place it on your door to request no maid services. Which I thought was great, because it just wasn't necessary to have new towels and clean sheets on the bed everyday when it was just me staying there, I mean really I don't make that big of a mess. So I had them clean and restock the room about every 2 to 3 days or so. That would translate into less laundry to wash, so less water and electricity used.
    They also had a beautiful pool and jacuzzi area, which I didn't have time to use, but I did go check it out after I read in an informational packet that said it was a mineral based pool, so no harsh chemicals like chlorine were used for sanitation. Being a residence inn, the rooms had full kitchens, but they also served breakfast and light evening meals in their downstairs dining area, where I noticed recycle stations set up as well for waste.
    I do not do a lot of traveling, but when I do I am noticing that more hotels are implementing recycling policies, which is great for the environment, but I'm sure it has to do with controlling some of their costs as well, which can translate into better rates and prices for their customers and in the mean time it makes them good stewards of the environment in their communities. It is definitely something that I will continue to take a look at when comparing hotel rates when planning a trip or vacation.

~ Teresa

'Tis The Season For Ghost Poop

As the holiday season looms ever closer, I have had on my mind, or maybe it's in my nightmares I'm not quite sure, but I can foresee the days when I will feel like I am suffocating under the mountain of leftover packaging that seems to find it's way into my house this time of year. You know the stuff....chunks of squeaky styrofoam, millions of packing peanuts (lovingly called ghost poop in our house), shredded paper, cardboard boxes, gift wrap, bows, tags, cards, plastic air pillows, bubble wrap! This is the part where I scream and start to pull my hair out, not really but it does significantly raise my anxiety level.

On the up side I feel a small sense of relief knowing that I can and will reuse as much of the packaging as possible when I ship items that have been purchased in my Etsy store, Toodlefetties.etsy.com. However that may only make a small dent in the mammouth pile, and no matter how organized I keep it if I try to store much more stuff in our modest three bedroom house, I just may have to deal with the wrath of my hubby, who I've noticed the excuse and I quote myself..."but honey I may need that someday, I can find a use for it" is starting to fall on deaf ears. Probably because he's heard it more than a zillion times in 24+ years of marriage, he is a good sport though and has been coming around more and more to conserving and reusing.

A couple of handy websites for ideas on how to craft with or reuse discarded items I have found useful are About.com, search Trash to Treasure or Green Crafts and checkout a great article by Ann Johnson on eHow.com titled Trash to Treasure Crafts. While I wish I could claim to be a total creative genius and come up with an unlimited amount of ideas for Trash to Treasure myself, like any mom with a plate full and then some it's more fun some days to pick others brains or follow other tips and hints and then put my own creative twist on things. Always with the goal of reducing all of this crazy waste our disposable minded consumerism mentality causes on a daily basis. The good Lord only gave us one chance to care for this beautiful planet of ours and if we all do just a little, collectively we will be able to accomplish a lot.

Upcycled Art Not Just The Next Green Thing

Up cycled art is becoming more popular with home crafters and the environmentally conscious. Creative entrepreneurs, home crafters and artisans are making a business out of turning re-usable fabrics, ribbons, laces and everyday household objects destined for the landfill into decorative reusable items for the home, garden and more.

If art imitates life then this trend bodes well for the green movement and also seems to be calling attention to the end of the crazy consumerism that has characterized American society since the industrial revolution.  Going green is not just about recycling tin cans and changing your type of light bulbs. It's a trend in jewelry, home decor and art, a definite shift in our way of thinking. To quote a very famous Martha,  "That's a good thing."