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4 Sustainability lessons we can learn from past generations
Economic uncertainty is not new. During the 1930s and 1940s millions of people were forced to drastically change how they lived, consumed, and survived due to the Great Depression and World War II. I recently lost my grandmother and, of course, have been thinking back over time spent with her over the years. It’s interesting to note how many of the careful and frugal habits she developed during challenging times in her life align with modern sustainable living principles. As we continue to face new economic, environmental, and social challenges, I find it comforting to turn to the past for sustainability lessons that provide inspiration on how to respond to…
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Project DIY: Making a Photo Wall on a Budget
We love a good DIY project! Not only is it fun to give new life to old things, it is a great way to keep items out of the landfill. Part of a sustainability mindset is finding ways to use what we already have and therefore purchase less. The DIY Project: How to turn a bland corner or empty wall into something amazing! Photo wall: Why I love it My photo wall was created out of a desire to do something with a very boring corner in my house, but not having a lot of money to do it. The photo corner has now become a photo wall as our…
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How to Make Sustainable Lanterns from Upcycled Materials
Last month, my friend and I attended a local lantern festival called the Still Moon Arts Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival. In the lead up to the event we were inspired to create our own lanterns to take with us. I wanted a more sustainable lantern project, so looked around my house for items I could upcycle into a lantern. I was really happy with how they turned out, so wanted to share how to make my sustainable lanterns from upcycled materials. An added bonus is these sustainable lanterns are really easy to make! How to Make your DIY Sustainable Lanterns It may look like a number of steps, but they…
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Refinished Dresser: Going from Neon to Nice
I was looking for hardwood flooring on Craigslist when IÂ came across a solid wood dresser that reminded me of my childhood furniture set for a bargain of $20… Needless to say we went to pick up the dresser when we picked up the flooring! Unfortunately this dresser was the colour of a traffic cone and looked as if it was likely to have several layers of paint to be scraped to get to bare wood, but the deal was so good I had to try. Sadly I forgot to take a before picture, but you get the idea. Supplies list Paint stripper Sander and sand paper Scraper Paint Linseed oil Drawer slides Handles/knobs I’d…
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Project DIY: Unexpected Spindle Upcycle
Today I’m sharing a project that was a lot of fun to do, though a little more complicated than my usual DIY projects. I had come across several old spindles in a secondhand shop, and, though I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them, decided to buy them anyway. Read on to find out about this unique upcycling project! The Project: Turning Antique Spindles into Cake Stands Why I Love It I love to decorate my table for occasions, and having a fun cake stand or two on hand makes it even easier to add height and colour to my table displays! The Plan Cut down the…
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Coffee Tin Craft Project – Try out this Easy DIY!
The brand of coffee I like to buy comes in solid tin cans. I had read somewhere about how they work great as a kitchen utensil holder and, since I needed one, started using my coffee tin for that purpose. But that got me thinking how there must be a way I could transform the tin to make it a bit prettier–enter in today’s coffee tin craft project! Coffee Tin Craft Project This coffee tin craft project is a really easy way to upcycle an item you might normally throw into the recycle bin. Recycling is great, but giving things a new life is even better! With this project, you…
