DIY Cloth Wipes and Eco Kids

Cloth wipes are a great way to eliminate chemicals from your baby's products.  Most companies don't label what they put in their wipes, and you will know exactly what you are putting on yours.  I prefer cloth wipes because they are sturdier and softer on little bottoms as well.  If that all isn't enough, cloth wipes are much better for the environment because they are made from used materials, they are washed and reused, and when they are worn out, they are fully compostable.  

Materials:

• 3-4 flannel recieving blankets (can be found at the thrift store for between $.25 and $.50.)
• pinking shears
• cardboard cut to a 7" by 7"square
• Empty wipe container

Directions:

1. Spread the first receiving blanket on the ground or table.  Lay the cardboard pattern on the corner, and use the pinking shears to cut around the remaining two edges.

2. Continue to move the pattern up the edge of the blanket and cut squares from the blanket.

3.  It's that simple!  You can choose to serge the edges, but I don't do that anymore.  

To Fold:

1. Lay the first wipe face down.

2. Lay the second wipe face down halfway covering the first wipe.

3. Fold remaining half of the first wipe over the half of the second wipe.

4. Repeat until all of the wipes are folded in the pile.  These will pop up from a wipe container one by one!  

Wipe Solution:

You can make your own wipe soution by using water, Dr. Bronner's Soap, and organic baby oil.  (I use the two listed below).  Dr. Bronner's is too harsh for my girls' diaper areas, so I only use water and oil.

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Please join me for the Eco-Kids Linky!  I hope that you'll share some great family-friendly posts that are also friendly for the environment. Some ideas include:

•  Nature Activities
• Outdoor Activities
• Crafts made with re-purposed or recycled materials
• Sewing and DIY home projects
• Science Experiments
• Posts on environmental issues for kids or families
• Non-toxic living
• Homeopathic Remedies

Eco-Kids Tuesdays is co-hosted by Organic Aspirations and Like Mama~Like Daughter. This means that anything you link-up shows up on both blogs!
Feel free to link up several of your posts.

There are only a few rules:

Please follow both co-hostess' blogs, and visit some of the other posts and give them some encouragement!   Please stick to posts and photos not giveaways or items for sale.

By linking up, you are agreeing that Organic Aspirations or Like Mama~Like Daughter can feature your photos next week with a link back to your site.  

 Please link back to my site using this button:

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An Eco Friendly Christmas: Wrapping Paper

Wrapping gifts can be such a tedious task, and the waste that can accrue on Christmas morning is unspeakable. There are several ways to cut down on all of the holiday waste so that you can put the emphasis on family and fun instead.  Try these four ways for Eco-friendly gift wrapping to reduce your footprint and still enjoy your holiday to the fullest.

• Buy Recycled Wrapping Paper.  This is a pit of a pricey option, but it is better than buying conventional wrapping paper.  Any time that you buy a recycled product, you support the continuation of recycling because unless companies see that there is a demand for recycled products, they won't continue using recycled material.
   
• Re-use artwork, brown paper bags, and newspaper as gift wrap.  This method involves having scraps at the end, and I do recommend that you recycle the leftovers, but at least you don't have to go out and buy rolls and rolls of gift wrap if you are using something that was going to be thrown away or recycled anyway.

• Reuse conventional gift bags instead of wrapping paper.  These can and should be used many times before having to be recycled. If you don't already have some that you've been saving from other gifts, these Fair Trade Recycled Newspaper Bags (eco friendly option to traditional gift bags) are an adorable option. 

 

• Make reusable cloth gift bags to use each year.  This is my first year using these, and I can't wait.  I've seen photos of other trees with fabric gift bags under them, and I think they look amazing!  These save money and not only do you save on paper, but you do not have to buy any tape.  Plus wrapping with them saves time because you simply insert the gift, fold the fabric, and tie the attached ribbon.  I made my own using the sizes of fabric I had, but if you need a tutorial, you can find a great one here.

Read Previous
An Eco Friendly Christmas: Lights



Tags: gift, wrap, Christmas, recycle, reuse, upcycle, upcycled, fabric gift bags, fabric gift wrap, wrapping paper

Going Green: That Time of the Month

One area of going green often gets overlooked is feminine care, so men, you can skip over this post.  Better yet, forward it to your wife, or girlfriend.  There are ways to avoid exposing that area to dangerous dioxins caused by the bleaching of conventional tampons and other women's products.

One way to avoid these problems is to buy organic and products.  You will greatly reduce your exposure to chemicals while still using very similar products.  They work extremely well, and there is no change in quality or absorbancy.  I notice that these products are not as irritating to the skin in my case.





An alternative to the conventional tampons and pads is the menstrual cup.  Menstrual cups are a soft silicone container that can be inserted and left in place for up to twelve hours.  They are inexpensive, and they are reusable, so there is no waste, and you actually save money on tampons.  I find them easy to use and more convenient than tampons.  Like using a tampon for the first time, however, they do take a bit of practice to insert.  There are many videos on Youtube that give instructions. An added benefit of this product is that there is NO risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome because the bacteria that causes it grows only in absorbent material like cotton and rayon. There are two sizes: Diva Cup Model 1 Pre-Childbirth, and DivaCup Model 2 Post-Childbirth.






Finally, there is another way to go greener during your period, and for those of you who use cloth diapers, it may come as no surprise: Cloth Pads.  I have not tried these yet, but I intend to at some point during my journey of becoming more eco-conscious.



I haven't decided if I will buy these ones or if I will make my own.  One of the books I already own, Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures has a pattern. 



Whatever your choice may be for making that time of the month as relaxed as possible, there is a way to do right by your body and the planet in each of these choices!

Tags: woman, period, menstrual, cup, cycle, natural, organic, Diva Cup

Thanksgiving Tradition

This Thanksgiving table cloth is not only a great way to make memories together around that table, but it is a beautiful color- coded keepsake with the names of each person attending the Thanksgiving meal each year.  The guests should each sign their name in pencil on a light colored table cloth, and then you choose a color of embroidery floss for the year.  Use a simple back stitch to embroider the names onto the table cloth along with the year.  A gold floss can be used to indicate a family member who passes away.

 Handprints are a great way to include children who are too young to write their own name. 

This will be our second year doing this tradition, and although it was an idea that I brought to the family (I had seen a few others at friends' houses), my mom embroidered every stitch.  She said that she really enjoyed it, but I hope to help her with it this year. 

I hope you try this simple but wonderful Holiday Tradition.



Tags: back, stitch, embroider, embroidery, floss, color, Thanksgiving, tradition, tablecloth, sign, name, names, gold, passed away

DIY Recycled Waldorf Inspired Rag Doll

Making things out of items that are being discarded is a great way to be frugal and Eco-friendly.  It is also perfect if you have a piece of clothing that is outgrown but still holds some sentimental value. The materials could come from home, hand me downs, or even the thrift store. 

We had an old pair of PJ pants laying around from one of our teenaged foster children who had long since left.  They never fit, so I set them aside since the fabric was cute for the kids.  I used one leg of those pants last year for Ana's No Sew Headband Holder. These little dolls used the other leg, and the shorts that are left over will be donated to Goodwill. 

Tools Needed:

• Fabric Scissors
• Seam Ripper
• Iron
• Sewing Machine

 Materials Needed:

• 1 leg from a pair of knit adult small (or larger) pajama pants.
• Old long sleeved shirt.
• 2 or 3 pairs of unwanted socks
• Cotton batting or fabric scraps for stuffing

Step 1

Step 1- Cut the leg of of the pajamas off leaving a pair of shorts and a tube of fabric.

Step 2

Step 2- Rip the hem out and press.

Step 3

Step 3- Fold the pant leg into thirds for three tiny dolls or in half for two slightly larger dolls.

Step 4

Step 4- For three dolls, cut along the two folds. Do NOT cut the tube of the pants legs open.  For two dolls cut along the one fold. 

Step 5

Step 5- Find a mismatched sock in a small size.

Step 6

Step 6- Stuff the sock with natural cotton batting or you could use scraps of fabric, wool, etc.

Step 7

Step 7- Stuff all the stuffing into the toe of the sock, and twist the sock creating a "head" for the doll. 

Step 8

Step 8- Turning one of the tubes inside out, pin across the top adding the sock head to roughly the middle. 

Step 9

Step 9- The head part should be facing the right side of the fabric inside the tube.

Step 10

Step 10- If your fabric is stretchy, it is a knit.  You will have to use a special setting on your machine.  It is the stitch that looks like my number three.  I never knew this until recently, and what a difference it makes! 

Step 11

Step 11- Sew all the way across the top edge only with a 3/8" seam allowance.  Use a back stitch or locking stitch at each end to secure your seam. 

Step 12

Step 12- After checking that your seam is secure all the way across, trim the seam and cut the end of the sock off. 

Step 13

Step 13- Using a 3/8" seam allowance, sew the bottom of the doll closed.  Be sure to leave a small space open so that you can turn the doll inside right.  Trim the seam.

Step 14

Step 14- Turn the doll inside right, and use your fingers to reach inside and poke all of the corners out.

Step15

Step 15- Turn the raw edges inward so that they are about even with the finished seam.  Depending on your level of comfort, you could press or pin this spot.  If you are comfortable holding it and sewing, just hold it in place and sew.  This time sew as close to the folded edge as you can while still catching both sides. 

Step 16

Step 16- The seam will look like this in that spot. 

Step 17

Step 17-Stretch the corner as far as you can and hold it in your fist. 

Step 18

Step 18- Extend your pointer finger and wrap the fabric around with the corner facing down.  Continue that corner around and pull out your finger.  Start pushing the corner through the hole left by your finger.  You are tying a simple knot.  This is not as easy as it looks.  You have to really stretch the fabric to make the knot.

Step 19

Step 19- Pull the corner through carefully.

Step 20

Step 20- Continue to stretch and work the knot back and forth until it is tight and small as shown.  Repeat steps 17-20 for each corner. 

Step 21

Step 21.  Cut the end off of an old longsleeved shirt for a hat.  Tie a knot on the raw edge.

Tags: DIY Waldorf Inspired Rag Doll, Reuse, reduce, recycle, sewing, tutorial, doll, toy, sewing