Design^Sprout | Your Guide to Green Design

Organic Make-up - The Future is Natural.

   If the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach than certainly the quickest way to mine is through make-up! I've always been fascinated with the powders and potions, especially what magic can be preformed by the right magician. However, ever since I decided to stop being enamored with all the pretty packaging and actually read what chemical concoctions I was putting onto my skin, pretty is not a word I continued to use.

   So I began to make a check-list for my make-up:

1.  It must be good for the planet - no harmful processing or waste.
2.  It must be good for my skin - no more 18 syllable word ingredients.
3.  And of course, it must make me feel fabulous!

Well ladies, the pickens were slim...and then I found Futurenatural. Normally, I'm skeptical of organic make-up, having been disappointed by so much of it.  So, when I received a little sample pack of products in the mail I took my sweet time trying them out. Mistake!

Suki concealer is magic in a bottle! I dabbed a tiny bit under my eyes one eaaarly morning and suddenly looked as though I hadn't said yes to that third glass of wine the night before. Realizing I had my hands on the products I've been searching for my entire green life, I quickly tried out the tinted moisturizer and eye shadow. Fantastic! Pretty, easy to use and best of all - totally organic.  I am now a convert.

FutureNatural has a carefully curated selection of make-up to experiment with. It's not overwhelming and you can feel good about the stand your making to use healthy products.  I believe they call it "responsible hedonism".  I call it good green fun.

Silk Wonders

     The magpie in me cannot pass a hanger full of scarves in a thrift shop without fondling them.  In my college days I bought scads of them and hung them from my otherwise drab staircase in my two room apartment.  Lately I've been looking at them and dreaming of the many silk scarf tops you can find on etsy - so simple and elegant.

     But it took a real imagination to create some amazing dresses.  Paula Malesardi Hansen's Allma line has several pieces made from a collection of vintage silk scarves.

 

How fun are they!  (And I'm totally loving the orange tights.  That's not something you see every day).

Trash is the New Black

   Someone once said to me, "One team's bench player is another team's starting quarterback".  So when I saw this fabulous furniture made entirely from the piles of packaging materials we discard every year, I kicked myself for ever wasting such a valuable player!  Elegant and architectural, these scrap lights (above) from Graypants are made from the selvedge edge of cardboard. I love how the texture of the selvedge diffuses the light so beautifully.

   They also do wondrous things with discarded shipping pallets.  The chair (above) and side table (below) are sleek, functional and 100% recycled. A true testament to the power of creativity. Game on!

A Cheeky Solution!

     Every year 1.7 million tons of carpet end up in landfills. Well now, thanks to design collective Electric Wig at least some of that is being re-used for these stylie stools.  Sit on that!

DIY - Make your own darling thumbtacks!

     Thank God for creative people with time on their hands because these fabric-covered thumb tacks are the cutest little buggers I've seen in awhile. Jessica Jones, crafter extrodinaire, from the blog How About Orange came up with this DIY tutorial (below), proving to us laypeople that it does in fact take a special talent to turn 1/4" of space into a work of art. Thanks Jessica! You tiny-fingered genius you!

Start with a pack of "Wedding Gown Size" (size 20, 1/2") metal buttons to cover (available at fabric stores for about $1.50). Pull the loops off all the button backing pieces with a pliers or wire cutter. Cut your fabric scraps into circles slightly larger than a quarter, or use the circle template printed on the back of your button package. (Since the edges get tucked in under the metal backing, you don't have to be a careful cutter.)

Following the package directions, use the "pusher" tool that came in the pack to cover your buttons with fabric. This step is easy and the most fun! Then use a generous amount of hot glue to attach a tack to the back of your button. A standard tack should fit perfectly. Your cork board will thank you.

POST SCRIPT: You can buy buttons to cover that have flat backs so you don't have to yank off the wire loops! Get some here at J Caroline Creative. I did NOT know this when I made mine. Shoot. Could have saved myself some work.

You can check out Jessica's FANTASTIC blog here!

Switcheroo! Play Chinese Fire Drill with your Art!

  One of my favorite indie artists Natasha Westcoat came up with this great guideline for displaying your much loved collections. Let's get those prized possessions out of the closet and up on the wall for everyone to appreciate!

1. Create a group of art/photos on the wall to create an interesting focal point and eclectic feel. Plan the way you want to hang them by doing placement on the floor, and then map out where they will go. Having prints, originals, or sculpture together in a group looks beautiful and complex.

2. Use an easel to display paintings. This adds interest and dimension as well as provides for ease of change. And no need for tools! (unless you intend to BUILD an easel.)

3. Set art on the floor. (With the right structure, sturdy paintings as well as framed prints can be displayed separately or in clusters under tables, against walls, or in corners. It adds depth and energy to the area. Be sure you don’t do this with LARGE pieces, or they may warp.

4. Display art inside glass door cabinets or standing on shelves along with other artifacts, such as books or collectibles. It’s modern and exciting!

5. Rotate your art collection! Another great refreshing splash to any room is to switch out artwork for other ones. Display a new set of works each week, month, season, or special occasion. It’s nice to have a huge art collection to be able to do this. Rotating your art collection freshens up a room and makes everything feel new. People will ask if you renovated your living room!

Natasha has many more tips for making the most of your art on her blog. Check it out!

Photo Credits: Top, indierocket. Bottom, Natasha Westcoat Blog.