Design^Sprout | Your Guide to Green Design

D^S Contest Part Deux! Win a Flip & Tumble Reusable Bag!!

 

    Hi there! This being your average Wednesday I figured, "Why not brighten up everyone's hump day with another contest?" The generous gals at Flip and Tumble have bestowed another bag upon me to pass on to one of you lucky folks! Read below and let's save the Earth together!

So, you're not perfect. You buy bottled water from time to time, occasionally mow down on a little Mickey D's (gulp) and don't have the foggiest idea how to compost last night's dinner (nor do you really want to learn). Trust me, you are not alone! The designers at Flip and Tumble realized that despite our best "green" intentions, forgetting to bring a reusable grocery bag to the store was a common problem.
   As a solution, they designed this teeny, tiny, sock ball that happily sits at the bottom of your bag waiting to be filled with goodies. Maybe you're not perfect...but no one has to know!

                                     WIN THIS BAG!

    That's right! You too can avoid the oh s*%t moments at the checkout stand and look ever-so-designy while doing it. Just drop me a comment saying anything at all. Any 'ol thing will qualify you to win. I'll announce the winner (via the comment page) on Monday. Good Luck!

Felt you should see this!

     Yeah, it took two weeks. Yeah, it's completely useless. I don't care. I love this totally handmade, green and plush Nintendo system. Designer blueblythe from craftster.org felted the material then hand-sewed and embroidered all the details.  She even made interchangeable Duck Hunt and Super Mario screens for the television. Definitely ranks right up there as one of the most enjoyable wastes of time I've ever seen.

Silhouettes - sometimes an outline says it all!

    So, you love your pet. No, you looooove your pet. You heart you pet. You cuddle your pet. You speak in high pitched voices and baby talk while your friends shoot you looks as though you've lost a marble. Still, you don't consider yourself one of "those people".  You know, the pet-obsessed freaks who have matching outfits and photos of cats lining their bedroom walls.  Well, welcome to my boat. While looking for a way to display my maternal (some might say obsessive) love for my dog Winnie, I came across the idea of the silhouette portrait. Simple, graphic, stylish.
     They work for your favorite rock stars, children, classic chairs, 70's activists or anything else you can dream up. Yeah, my friends still think I'm a freak but at least now they compliment my artwork. :)   
     Get DIY silhouette-making instructions on the really cute blog More Ways to Waste Time. 

     Get a custom portrait of your favorite baby from Etsy seller Misscrowland.

     Crow coasters, Custom Kids, and Cameo Portrait are all for sale on Etsy.

     Click for links to these funky earrings and gothic sparrow necklace.

     These custom, decreasing-in-size profiles are such a cute family idea!

     Custom couple portraits are a really unique wedding gift. Adding a little lace doily to this classic cameo gives it more interest while complimenting the graphic.

 

DIY - Recycled light bulb hanging vases

         

These hanging lightbulb vases are so charming and ridiculously easy. Grouped together they make quite an elegant statement!

              

Step One:  Using fine-tooth metal saw - gently saw the bottom of light bulb. Pull out the fillaments.

Step Two:  Using a hand held drill place metal against some scrap wood and poke two holes opposite from each other.

Step Three:  Lace thin wire through the holes and tie off at desired legnth. Fill with lovely blooms!

        

Also makes cute salt and pepper shakers. Most soda caps are the correct width for a top. Just fill, poke holes and enjoy!

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DIY - Make those chairs new again!

     Brought to us by the now defunct (boo hoo) Blueprint magazine, is a great idea for rescuing your old, hand-me-down chairs and turning them in to mini, personalized masterpieces!  Who would have guessed a few thrift-store sweaters could be reborn into such chic dining chairs!

1. Cut a sweater apart, working up the side seams and across the shoulders. Trim off the neck hole and sleeves, leaving two squares of fabric slightly larger than the seat of the chair.
2. Unscrew the seat cushions from the chairs. (The screws are usually on the cushion's underside.)
3. Cover the cushions with the sweater fabric, and secure the cloth edges to the underside using a staple gun or small tacks.
4. Trim any excess and reattach the cushion to the chair. Cost: $0 (we like that!!!).

Check out Blueprint's website for 25 Eco Chic tips for your home. Not a bad way to spend an hour!

D^S Contest! Win this All-Natural Make-Up Kit!

    "If you can't eat it you shouldn't be putting it on your skin." Or so the saying goes at Jenulence, a small family run cosmetics company dedicated to completely natural, toxin-free make-up. It is water and sweat-resistant, hypoallergenic, doesn’t clog the pores, delivers complete sun protection and is 100% cruelty free. Blah, blah, blah - yeah, it makes you look pretty too!

WIN THIS MAKE-UP KIT!!!

  The kind people at Jenulence are giving away a starter kit - 2 shades of foundations, a finishing powder and an all-natural brush, to one of you "earth-friendly" gals. Just drop me a comment and I'll consider you entered. Yup, any 'ol comment will do.  I'll announce the winner on Friday. GOOD LUCK!!