Check out the awesome to go mug I snagged at the Indie Craft Experience! It’s from Jeanette Zeis Ceramics, and I love it!

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© Becky for Glue and Glitter, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments
Post tags: coffee mug, crafts, handmade, handmade mug, shopping, to go mug

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Yep! You read that right! In case you missed my exciting news from a few weeks ago, I am stepping back from selling my crafts after the holidays are over to focus on writing about crafts, food, and the environment. I’m really excited about this new direction, and I’m just as excited that [...]]]>

Yep! You read that right! In case you missed my exciting news from a few weeks ago, I am stepping back from selling my crafts after the holidays are over to focus on writing about crafts, food, and the environment. I’m really excited about this new direction, and I’m just as excited that my last booth at a craft show is going to be with the Indie Craft Experience.(. . .)
Click here to read on!

© Becky for Glue and Glitter, 2011. | Permalink | 6 comments
Post tags: Atlanta, handmade, ICE Pop Up Shop, Indie Craft Experience, pop up shops

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This is something that’s been rattling around in my head for a while, and I thought it might be worth spilling it all here and seeing what you guys think. I write in a lot of places about how to be green, and I get a lot of pitches from companies [...]]]>

This is something that’s been rattling around in my head for a while, and I thought it might be worth spilling it all here and seeing what you guys think. I write in a lot of places about how to be green, and I get a lot of pitches from companies who want me to review their newest green product. But what does green really mean?

Over at Feelgood Style, we talk about green beauty and fashion, and every time I get a pitch from a cosmetics company, I find myself wondering if they’re green enough. One company makes cosmetics that come in fully compostable packaging, but they use artificial “fragrance,” which can mean any number of toxic, artificial chemicals. Are they green? What about a company who’s recipe is totally free from mystery ingredients, but their packaging is plastic?

I’m even running across this as I start my fall garden! I avoided products from Scotts (even “organic” ones), because they’re a major distributor for Monsanto’s RoundUp. Not familiar with RoundUp? It’s a pesticide, and it’s terrible for the environment. You can read a bit about some of the problems with RoundUp here.

Right, so! In my effort to avoid Scotts, I picked up organic seed starter from Burpee, only to learn that 3-5% of their seeds are from Monsanto. Is 3-5% a small enough number? Am I being green by supporting Burpee’s organic line, when I’m also supporting a company that sells genetically modified seeds?

How to be Green

Some companies are making a genuine effort, while others are just greenwashing. So many companies co-opt the word “green” as a marketing gimmick, that it’s hard to suss out who’s really making an impact and who’s just trying to break into this growing niche of green consumers. It’s up to us to read the labels, do the research, and see beyond the marketing.

But I think if we really want to get at the heart of how to be green, it’s about more than what we buy. It’s what we choose not to buy and what we choose to make ourselves. I think the key to really being a green consumer is to…consume less! That can mean just opting out of the newest and shiniest thing. It can also mean using your crafty skills to reuse what we have and turn it into something new.

My friend Kelly Rand has said many times that she thinks handmade can save the world, and I think she’s really got it right. I also think that handmade can mean different things for different folks. Maybe that means planting and nurturing a food garden, instead of buying produce from halfway around the world. Maybe it’s cooking a meal, rather than ordering wasteful takeout. Or turning an old t-shirt into a reusable shopping bag.

We all have the power to make these small changes, and I think the real way to be green is to do our best to reduce our impacts however we can.

Does that make sense? I sort of feel like I’m tossing out a half-baked idea here, and I’d love to flesh it out with you guys. What does green mean to you?

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Post tags: be green, DIY, environment, garden, green, handmade, Hippie, how to be green, recycle, recycling, repurposed, reuse, upcycling

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What makes you laugh?

Over at Feelgood Style, Maria shared a really adorable infographic on laughter. It turns out laughing does more than elevate your mood – it’s good for your health! How awesome is that?

Of course, choosing happiness sometimes takes a little bit of work, right?

It’s all well and [...]]]>

What makes you laugh?

Over at Feelgood Style, Maria shared a really adorable infographic on laughter. It turns out laughing does more than elevate your mood – it’s good for your health! How awesome is that?

Of course, choosing happiness sometimes takes a little bit of work, right?

It’s all well and good to talk about choosing happiness, but sometimes it takes a bit of inspiration to actually get there, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed or things are just plain less than stellar. Luckily, there’s tons of joyful inspiration out there! Here are some of the things that have made me smile lately…

• Photos of people jumping, like this one from Evil Erin, always make me smile.
• My pal Bettie’s new Etsy shop is full of joyful photography.
• Nothing makes me smile like cupcakes!

• This whimsical bunting from Montclair Made is awesome! I love that she used vintage ric rac instead of ribbon.
• My pal Jess is launching a line of inspirational rain boots, and the patterns are so joyful!
• These sweet baby bands from my friend Tobi’s shop are adorable, and the sleeping baby photos are dangerously cute! I dare you not to smile.

What makes you happy? Let’s keep the inspiration going in the comments!

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Post tags: choosing happiness, Friday Roundup, handmade, happiness, Inspiration Friday, joy, Roundups

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If you’ve been following the site lately, you’ve probably figured out that I. love. SUMMER! Things are just a bit more mellow, it’s shorts weather all the time, and around here it means planning a beach vacation with my in-laws! Our beachy plans are a bit up in the air this year, but [...]]]>

If you’ve been following the site lately, you’ve probably figured out that I. love. SUMMER! Things are just a bit more mellow, it’s shorts weather all the time, and around here it means planning a beach vacation with my in-laws! Our beachy plans are a bit up in the air this year, but that hasn’t stopped me from poring through my fellow Eco Etsians’ shops for seaside inspiration…

1. Nautical tote from reiter8
2. Ocean-themed mini wine cork terrarium from Uncorked
3. Gingham sundress from Jules Mae Clothing
4. Shipwreck pottery necklace from Sea Find Designs
5. Driftwood branch box from Earnest Efforts
6. Screenprinted sunglass case from Inky Spider

Can’t you just see yourself on a beach vacation with these sweet, handmade goodies? It’s a trek to get to the ocean from Atlanta, but we try to do it once a year at least. Do you guys have beachy plans for the summer?

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© Becky for Glue and Glitter, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments
Post tags: beach, beach vacation, Eco Etsy, Etsy, handmade, Inspiration Friday, ocean, summer, Team Eco Etsy, teamecoetsy

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Summer is HERE, ya’ll! It’s time to fire up the grill, tend to the garden, and of course it’s time to get your summery DIY on! Here are some crafty projects for your cookout and for your garden. Have you been working on any summer crafts? I’d love to hear about them in [...]]]>

Summer is HERE, ya’ll! It’s time to fire up the grill, tend to the garden, and of course it’s time to get your summery DIY on! Here are some crafty projects for your cookout and for your garden. Have you been working on any summer crafts? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

1. How cute are The Creative Place’s upcycled cocktail umbrellas?
2. I’ve been admiring this recycled six pack cookout caddy from Design*Sponge for years. It’s so simple and sweet!
3. I am in love with these firefly candles from Urban Sherp. Wouldn’t they be lovely for some summer evening porch-sitting?
4. Spruce up your summer garden with a simple set of clothespin plant markers!
5. You’d be the queen of Saturday if you showed up at a cookout with a batch of TINY PIES from Explore the Cabin!

So spill it, crafty peeps! What have you been making during this scorcher of a summer?

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Post tags: crafty garden, Crafty Pals, DIY, Friday Roundup, garden, handmade, inspiration board, Inspiration Friday, reuse, Roundups, summer, summer crafts, summer DIY, upcycling

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A pal on Twitter recently mentioned that she was digging my kitchen organization ideas, so I thought I’d round up a few more for this week’s inspiration board.

We’re still slowly reorganizing our kitchen, so I’m always on the lookout for cute ways to keep things organized and eco-friendly. What better way [...]]]>

A pal on Twitter recently mentioned that she was digging my kitchen organization ideas, so I thought I’d round up a few more for this week’s inspiration board.

We’re still slowly reorganizing our kitchen, so I’m always on the lookout for cute ways to keep things organized and eco-friendly. What better way than to make things yourself, right? These are some storage solutions that you can whip up from reclaimed materials!

Clockwise from the top left we’re lookin’ at:

• Etched glass storage jars at Lifehacker. Keep those bulk items in order.
• Magnetic baby food spice jars at The Little Apartment. Store those spices out in the open, so they’re easy to find.
• Chalkboard paint storage here at Glue and Glitter. Know what’s in those drawers and cabinets.
• Hooks from reclaimed silverware at Readymade. Perfect for reusable bags or dish towels.

Have you guys done any cool DIY kitchen storage projects? Share away in the comments!

Related Posts:

• IF: Summer Crafts!
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• IF: DIY for the Kitchen

© Becky for Glue and Glitter, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments
Post tags: DIY, diy kitchen storage, handmade, inspiration board, Inspiration Friday, kitchen storage

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