10 Ways to Upcycle Scrapbooking

Greener lifestyles are trending in all areas, and the scrapbooking world is no different. Aside from the eco-friendly and budget-friendly benefits, upcycling materials to use in scrapbooking adds an extra amount of personalization and detail to your precious memories.

1.  Instead of shelling out good money for pricey scrapbook covers, try upcycling an old hardback book cover into a classy scrapbook cover by removing the pages and adding a 3 ring binder insert. 
Upcycled Scrapbook Cover Tutorial

2.  Make your own titles and chipboard embellishments using a die cutting machine and old cereal boxes, mailers, and thick stock junk mail pieces.

3.  Go vintage at the local thrift store.  Pick out fabrics, buttons, and jewelry pieces that coordinate and inspire.  Bring them home and see what you can come up with.  The best part about upcycling is that you can use anything that you can find a use for.

4.  Save on distressing inks by using tea bags or coffee grounds for a darker, aged look or household bleach for a faded look.

5.  Transform your old, dated, or broken jewelry into accents on your scrapbook pages.  Check out these ideas for beading scrapbook pages here.

6.  Make a shaker by sewing two transparencies together and filling them with something small like seed beads.  This adds a cute element when done over a photograph.

7.  Take a note of inspiration from stylish packaging.  This one is totally for me.  I am such a sucker when it comes to cute and trendy packaging that I am constantly trying to talk myself out of buying produce X because I don't really need it, I just like the way that it looks in all of its colorful packaging.  Whether you use any of the packaging in your actual design or not, you will still be upcycling an idea!

8.  Repurpose old greeting cards, in whole or in part, to make artwork for your pages, frames for your photos, and preserve sentimental notes from inside the cards where they will be seen and remembered.

9.  Flatten the aluminum from rinsed cola cans and punch or cut it into shapes for nifty, one-of-a-kind embellishments.  These can be easily attached with jewelry fittings.

10.  Skip on the pricey scrapbook paper and get what you are really going for: Use old sheet music instead of scrapbook paper printed to look like sheet music or strips of left over tissue paper or wrapping paper to add some color to white cardstock.

Upcycled Paper Crafts: Eco-friendly Scrapbooking

Many of us are finding all of kinds of useful ways to extend our eco-freindly habits into our paper crafts. While it may not be possible (at least yet) to use green seal certified products for scrapbooking, as many glues and dyes are naturally harmful to the environment, there are a number of other things that we can all do to save both money and the environment.

You may have heard of the hot trend of upcycling buzzing around in the crafting community.  Upcycling is the practice of taking an item that is ugly, dated, or otherwise no longer useful, and repurposing it with a creative touch.  

The possibilities of creating artful creations with repurposed materials is limited only by your own imagination.  There are literally dozens of blogs and websites that showcase the creative skills of many talented upcyclers, providing the rest of us with envy and inspiration.

Above, is a picture of a small calendar that I created from old regridgerator magnets and repurposed paperboard coasters.  I have had a stash of assorted disposable coasters from various restaraunts and bars (I seem to pick them up everywhere) and one day last week, I finally decided to do something with them.  I had some left over miniature calendars that I had created for another project and decided that I needed a way to display one of these calendars at my desk.

While the coaster could be decorated in may different ways, or you could simply use the design that is already on the coaster, I chose to recover mine in a lightweight white cardstock to give me a blank canvas on which to create my design. I simply adhered the paper to the coaster with my glue runner and then carefully trimmed the excess from around the edges with an Xacto knife, and voila I had a plain white backboard to begin designing.

I made a note of how much space would show around the calendar pad and then carefully selected a stamp.  I used a Momento Black Inkpad to stamp my image design on the coaster and then colored each flower with my copic markers.  I attached the calendar pad with a piece of double stick tape and embellished my flowers with color coordinating rhinestones.  Finally, I harvested magnets off of some old refridgerator magnets that I had lying around and glued them to the back of the coaster so that it would hang on the side of my file cabinet.

A Horse Allergic to Flies

That's right, you heard me.  This horse is allergic to flies.  What an unfortunate affliction for a horse since flies and horses seem to be synonomous.  For the last 18 years, I have been managing a horse that is allergic to flies.  And, trust me when I say, that we have tried absolutely everything.  Some things work better than others, but for the most part, this is a condition that has to be managed rather than cured.

To keep this horse comfortable, year round, we put a lot of effort into trying to keep the flies off of him. 

1.  Moved to a New Barn

I gave up access to riding trails and trainers to take lessons with to move this horse to a small barn, away from the river and other water sources and with a smaller equine population with better manure management practices to reduce the number of flies in his environment.

2.  Fly Spray By the Gallons

Although I have never found a fly spray that works for any "long" period of time, we do our best to deter the flies with generous coating of the expensive fly sprays like Ultrashield and Pyrhana.  Jackson gets coated with fly spray at least 3-5 times a day.

3.  In the Stall and Out to Pasture

Jackson's stall gets cleaned 2-3 times per day, and considering that he only spends a few hours in it, that means that there is never more than 1 pile of poop or 1 urine spot in his stall (or any of the others in the barn) at any given time.  We also put a fan in his stall (this is partially to deter flies and partially because this older guy doesn't sweat very well). Out in the pasture is a little more difficult.  Because he doesn't sweat very well, I do not like to use fly sheets on him.  Plus, most of his fly bites occur in all of the areas not covered by the fly sheet anyways. However, I do use fly boots or wrap his legs when he goes out to the pasture to keep them from biting his lower legs and causing scurf.

4.  Medical Interventions

For the last six years, Jackson's fly allergies have been well-controlled using corticosteroid injections. However, some recent health issues have kept us from continuing this treatment. Jackson now gets a generous dosage of benadryl to help with the allergic reactions.  I kind of think the pharamacy that I go to thinks that I am nuts when I come in and buy out all of the children's benadryl bottles.

Of course, we have tried all of the other stuff too...antihistamines, serum injections, and the like. 

5.  Accupuncture for Allergies

This one is brand new to me.  I only tried it for the first time a few weeks ago, and since then it seems to be helping. 

A Horse Named Jackson

Photo Uploaded by Author, Marissa (c) All Rights Reserved

Meet Jackson - my beloved Arabian gelding whom I have owned for the last 18 years.  I first laid eyes on him when I was a little girl and I knew immediately that I had to have him.  What I didn't know at that time was how much I would grow to love this horse, how much he would teach me, or how much the two of us really belonged together.

Jackson was born May 15, 1991 on a small farm in central Illinois.  He made a grand entrance into the world and let his personality be known from the minute that his tiny little baby horse hooves hit the ground.  Jackson was quick to stand on his feet, nobody actually timed it, but the best guess is that it took him all of a minute to get his bearings about him and attempt that first akward stand.  A success on the first try, Jackson was already standing before the foalers had an opportunity to do their business.  So, they tried their best to do their imprinting and basic foal care.  But when they went to put iodine on his belly button, he let them have it with a full-blown cowkick.  Not five minutes after being born and this tiny little horse had already learned the "other" use of the legs. Needless to say, the poor woman who was tending to his foal needs ended up wearing the whole bottle of iodine (for weeks as it happens to have a tendency to stain).

This incident quickly earned him a reputation as a troublemaker. And, during his tenure as a weanling Jackson became increasingly known for his naughty shanagans.  But, there was something else about this horse, something that kept people coming back depsite all of his naughtiness. He had a gentle and kind soul.  He, despite his shanagans, was a top notch horse.

I don't know how else to describe it, except that to say that this horse is just plain brimming with personality.  He loves people and he loves attention (and cookies) even more.  He has one of the cutest faces I have ever seen on a plain bay horse and he has learned how to exploit the cuteness factor to make the people around him fall in love with him.

I purchased Jackson in 1996, just after he turned five years old.  And I am glad to say, that even now, at 21 years old, he is still the same horse that I fell in love with, personality and shanagans in tow.

Backyard Chickens

Have you seen chickens in your neighborhood?  With more and more people looking for ways to become more sustainable, providing their own food sources rather than relying commercial agriculture, there is a growing trend of livestock moving into the city.

Chickens are particularly well suited for urban dwelling, especially in small numbers.  They provide many benefits aside from fresh eggs.  Chickens, again in small quantities, are relatively quiet animals.  If you have a fenced in yard, there is a good chance that your neighbors will not even know that they are there (provided that you keep the coop clean). 

In addition to providing a regular supply of farm fresh eggs right outside your back door, chickens are also good for exterior pest control and providing manure for your gardening compost pile. 

Tiny Cattle for Tiny Farms

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Have you ever heard of miniature cows?  While you may think that miniature cows are just the latest trend in designer pets (along the lines of the pot belly pig craze or teacup kitten craze), these tiny cows are actually much more useful than that.

While there are many breeds of miniature cattle that have been bred down to a miniature size, the foundation breeds are actually older primitive breeds of cows that were never bred-up by human beef production options.  That's right, cows were naturally much smaller than the 1 ton animals that you see out in the pasture.  Over time, cattle ranchers have been using selective breeding to grow bigger and bigger cattle.

The return to smaller, more primitive cattle sizes began with a small group of individuals in the 1970's who were looking for ways to make cattle farming more efficient. After 30 years, these individuals have succeeded in producing 26 different breeds of miniature cattle adept in all the traditional uses of cattle.

Miniature cattle provide the benefit of being able to fit more cattle per acre of land, allowing smaller acerage farms to raise beef.  Miniature cows have also become a popular addition to hobby farms and small homesteads.  Dairy breeds of miniature cows are able to produce 2-5 gallons of milk per day, which is enough to feed a family and share with the neighbors.  In addition to tradition livestock production, there are many farms making a go of it as a breeding operation.

These smaller varieties of cows are in demand because, well let's face it, they are too stinkin' cute! And aside from being cute, they are more economical than their full-size counterparts.  They cost less to feed and require less acerage.  But, that is not all.  Miniature cattle also tend to yield more useable beef per pound of body weight than their full-size counterparts. That mean's that they are a more efficient option for beef production.  While you would ultimately need more small cows to produce the same amount of beef, each cow will produce a higher yield of beef per cow.

Get Your Farmer On: Urban Homesteading

For anyone who wants to live a little more sustainably, who wants to enjoy a little bit of farm life, but does not want to give up the convenience of living in the city, there is a solution for you. It is called Urban Homesteading or Urban Farming.

Image provided under a Creative Commons License
2.0 NoDerivs by Allies.Dad @ Flickr

Backyard chickens bring farm fresh eggs to some residential neighborhoods. In addition to providing you with fresh eggs, chickens are also wonderful for pest control and processing compost. Find out More about raising backyard chickens.

Please be aware that keeping livestock in urban areas is still a newly reintroduced concept. Not all areas allow for chickens to be kept in urban areas. It is important to check your local zoning laws and regulations. But, don't fret, if your zoning laws prohibit chickens, you can petition to have the laws changed as many residents of major cities are doing.

 Container gardens and other micro-gardening ideas such as square foot gardens are allowing for more people with less space to benefit from growing their own food supplies. A whole variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices can grow just as well in a container. Did you know that you can even grow citrus treees and tropical fruits in temperate climates? Yes, container gardening allows for these plants to be grown indoors during colder weather and then moved outdoors when it warms up. Find out More about sustainable gardening with container gardens.

Want to know more? The folks at UrbanHomestead.org have been documenting their homesteading journery for the last 10 years. The produce 99% of their own produce, yielding 6,000 lbs of crops off of just 1/10 of an acre. They conserve fuel and energy by using solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, rechargeable batteries, and line drying clothes. They conserve water with efficient plumbing options and the incorporation of grey water for watering plants. They raise a variety of small livestock animals and bees, composting their own manure to fertilize their plants. And, to make enough of an income to pay their taxes and survive, they set up a front-porch farm stand and hold classes to teach others how to incorporate urban homesteading into their lifestyles.

10 Things You Can Surprisingly Grow In Containers

You may think that growing your fruits and vegetables in containers may limit you on what you can grow. This is a common misconception since many fruits and vegetables grow on bushes, vines, and trees. However, you may be surprised to learn that even the ones that you thought were out of the question such as blueberry bushes or apple trees can be successfully grown in a container when the right varieties are chosen.

1. Blueberry Bushes: choose mid-high or low bush varieties that grow to a maximum size of 3-4 feet with 1-2 feet of spread. Find out More

2. Apple Trees: choose dwarf varieties that are suited for container growing. Note that the term "dwarf" does not necessarily mean that it will do well in a container. Find out More

3. Citrus Trees: choose dwarf varieties. Did you know that you can grow citrus trees indoors in colder climates and then take them outside when the weather warms up? Find out More

4. Herbal Tea: choose herbs such as chamomile, mint and lemon balm for great tasting tea. Find out More

5. Lettuce: Almost all varieties of lettuce can be grown in a pot as long as the container is deep enough. Plus, added bonus, many types of lettuce sprout year round. Find out More

6. Cantaloupe: Stick with short vining and small fruited varieties for the best success in containers. Find out More

7. Root Vegetables: veggies such as carrots and potatoes that grow under ground can be grown in a container. Find out More

8. Wheatgreass: a great year-round decoration, particularly for Easter can be grown in all sorts of containers. Find out More

9. Mushrooms: Keep in mind that mushrooms are fungi and have much different growing needs than green plants. If you have never grown mushrooms before, consider starting with an easy variety such as oyster mushrooms. Find out More

10. Pineapple: Pineapple plants can be grown in containers, started from a pineapple purchased at the grocery store. Find out More

5 Questions You Should Ask When Planning a Container Garden

Container gardens are growing in popularity among many urban dwellers. The advantages of container gardens versus a traditional garden make enjoying this hobby more accessible to renters, apartment dwellers, elderly people, and people who are just too busy to maintain a traditional garden. Traditionally, containers such as planting pots, window boxes and raised flower beds have been used for landscaping purposes, however the trend of container gardening has expanded the traditional use of garden containers to grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Nearly every kind of fruit or vegetable that can be grown in a regular garden, can also be grown in a container.

Question #1 - What would I like to grow?

This one is both obvious and important. If you do not like to eat tomatoes, then it would be silly to grow them. Although it is an obvious question, it is one that many first-time gardeners over look. In the excitement of starting a new project, many first time gardeners will head out to the local nursery and bulk up on every plant that is available. Some might even say, "well I don't like tomatoes, but I will give them to my neighbors." To avoid ending up with a bunch of produce that is thrown away, the first step to planning your container garden is to sit down and make a list of every fruit or vegetable that you would like to grow. At this point, do not worry about "if you can grow" it or "how much of it to grow". Just make a master list of every kind of fruit or vegetable that you would like to grow.

Question #2 - What plants are suited to my region?

Again, this may sound like an obvious question, but for many first time gardeners it is an important one. For someone who has never grown anything in a garden, they may not have any idea what plants are suited to their area. This question should be researched early on in the planning phase so as not to waste time and money on plants that will not survive or may not produce well in your area. First, find out what your USDA zone is. Then, go through your wishlist and identify what plants are suitable for your zone. Remember that for every plant, there are a dozen or more varieties. While some varieties may not grow well in your region, there may be others that are perfectly suited for your location.

Question #3 - How much space do I have?

The amount of space that is available for your container garden depends very much on where you live. For example, if you live in a second story apartment, you may be limited to only your balcony and windowsills. While, if you live in a house, you may have at least a small yard that you can use. Consider all of your space options. Do you have a balcony or patio? If so, how much room do you have? Remember to leave enough space for a walkway and any patio furniture that you do not want to part with. Do you have vertical space that you can use with hanging baskets or a trellis? Think about your unusable space such as on the sides of the house or behind the garage. Once you have inventoried your available space, comb the list down by weeding out those options that do not get sufficient sunlight. Most plants need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.

Question #4 - How can the space be best used?

When deciding how to most effectively use your available space, you will need to prioritize what is most important for you. Would you rather have an aesthetically pleasing garden that adds to your overall landscape? Or, would you rather be able to fit as many plants as possible in your space? At this point in your planning phase, you will need to identify exactly what plants you will be planting, and specifically what varieties of those plants. What size and how many containers you will need. And, where the containers will be located. If aesthetics is your main priority, group plants by how they will look together with their flowers in the spring and foliage in the fall. If functionality is most important to you, consider utilizing multi-tiered planting stands and hanging baskets. When designing your layout, keep in mind that you will need to group 2-3 similar plants near each other for pollination.

Question #5 - What is my timeline?

Different varieties of the same kind of plant will produce and different times of the year. Take note of the varieties that you have selected. Are they early-bearing (spring or early summer), late-bearing (late summer to fall), or everbearing (through out the growing season). In some cases, you may need to plant more than one variety of a plant to ensure that you will have produce through out the entire growing season. Prepare a master schedule for all of your selected plants. Will you be growing from seeds or from starters. When do you need to plant? When is the best time to fertilize? Create your master schedule way in advance so that you will be prepared to care for your plants on the right timeline in order to maximize yields and ensure success.