Fellow Etsians?

I have a shop on Etsy http://laalicia.etsy.com

Here on my blog, I would love to start featuring my fellow Etsians. If you have an Etsy shop and would like to be featured here, please leave a comment with your shop and link and I'll check it out. :)

Every Day Should be Earth Day!

After the Earth Day post on the 22nd, I have had friends and coworkers who have wanted to add things to the list. Thanks to everyone who contributed. So here are some additional ways you can do a good turn for the earth.

- turn your computer, tv and cable box when not in use-- when these are left on they just consume energy

- car pool

- use reusable/recycle ready gift wrap like study gift bags or fabric gift bags or the cartoon pages from newspaper

- limit showers to 5 minutes

(confession time, although I have been shaving time off my showers for quite a while, I have not made it to five minutes yet, I'm still working on it keeping in mind that you save 10 gallons of water for every 2 minutes of shower time you eliminate)

- hang laundry out in the sun to dry

- if you must dry laundry make sure you empty the lint trap after each load, this makes your dryer more energy efficient

- compost

- when you order ice cream, get it in a cone -- this makes less trash -- good reasons for ice cream

- walk for transportation when possible, use "your" fuel instead of fossil fuel

-bank and pay bills online, this uses less paper

- use a mug of your own at work instead of wasting disposable cups

- cut down on unrequested mail by going to www.dmachoice.org/mps and requesting to be removed from their members mailing lists

- set up a recycling center in your home, if it's simple it will be easier to make it part of your routine

If you have other ideas to share, please feel free to post them as comments!

Earth Day: Find Another Way to Be Green

Earth Day is a day intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment. The United States celebrates on April 22. Today as a matter of fact.

Here are a few terms you may or may not be familiar with, definitions in this post are compliments of wikipedia.com.

RECYCLING is the reprocessing of old materials into new products, with the aims of preventing the waste of potentially useful materials, reducing the consumption of fresh raw materials and reducing energy usage. For example: Paper bags being recycled into new paper bags. Water bottles being recycled into fleece like fabric for jackets and hats.

UPCYCLING is the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use and value. For example: Upcycling an empty cigar box into a clock. Upcycling a juice jar into a terrarium.

FREEGANISM is an anti-consumerism lifestyle whereby people employ alternative living strategies based on "limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources. Freegans embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed. For example: On trash day, a Freegan may explore the street before the trash truck arrives for usable items such as a chair that needs repair but is perfectly usable.

On this 37th celebration of Earth Day, I encourage you to do something good for the earth today. Whether it's recycling, upcycling or exploring freeganism -- try something new today. Here are a few more ideas:
• Use canvas bags to get your weekly shopping home.
• Have a "Lights Out Night" once a week at your house. Sit in the dark and tell ghost stories.
• Try sharing clothes you never wear anymore with friends or a charity.
• Plant a vegetable and herb garden and share your harvest with your neighbors.
• Buy products that use less packaging.
• Etsy is a great place to find many recycled and upcycled handmade goods!
Check out my shop, http://laalicia.etsy.com

Happy Earth Day! :)

Monday?

Is anyone else having a Monday? Whew - it has been nuts already!

Everyone I have encountered today is having a sluggish start to Monday. It's humid and over cast, generally a bad hair day for everyone. My half curly, half uncurly hair is having a riot today!

I hope tomorrow is better...

Severe Weather Tonight in Texas

When I hear on the news that we have severe weather, my ears always perk up. Texas is a place where you should always have your eye on the weather - it can change in the blink of an eye. After all, on my way home from work it was overcast and I saw a rainbow and now we have Severe Weather Warnings.

This evening, Fort Worth got grapefruit sized hail! WOW! Scary what that might do to a car or house, let alone a person/animal unlucky enough to be out in it. At this hour the storm has passed almost completely through Fort Worth and is headed to Dallas. The winds have been very strong and we are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning AND a Flash Flood Warning.

When one moves to Texas they learn very quickly that a Watch means that "it could happen" and a Warning means "the conditions are right for it to happen" and it probably will.

The weather-people have the most lenient jobs. They can be totally wrong about the forecast and still have their job and be trusted tomorrow.

I hope everyone is dry and safe out there this evening. During the bad winds I was hunkered down in the safest place I could find while I crafted by candlelight. :)

Tax Day Cometh...

For those of you who haven't finished your taxes yet, I am sending you good thoughts. If you need to download forms or get your questions answered, check out http://www.irs.gov/

I'm always so relieved when taxes are done and mailed. Sigh. So, with all the discussion of the Stimulus Checks that gets me to wondering what everyone will be doing with their checks. I haven't decided yet but I am open to ideas. What will you do with yours?

In case you are wondering how big your Stimulus Check might be, here's the site where you can put in your numbers and get an estimate http://www.irs.gov/app/espc/

Hopefully, things will get back to normal on Wednesday! :)

Much more than cookies...

Girl Scout Troop 1637 is currently working on a Art to Wear Badge. As a portion of the badge work they have already completed a study of fashion through the ages and investigated fashions from afar. So when I was invited to talk to them about working for myself creating small pieces of fashion, I was delighted. Although I buy Girl Scout Cookies each year, this seemed like a much more personal way to support the Girl Scouts.

After a recitation of the Girl Scout Pledge and a few announcements, the troop leader Mrs. Baker introduced me. I talked with the girls briefly about creating things to wear and sell on consignment as well as on Etsy at http://laalicia.etsy.com. We began our hands-on project by picking a cigar box to make a purse. We talked about the importance of recycling things and got about the business of figuring out how to create a handle and decorate our boxes. I was impressed by their enthusiasm and willingness to try something new. I think they are a troop of very creative girls. Check them out showing off their new purses.

Mark your calendars for May 18th...

Etsy Dallas is having a trunk show! There will be some great people and crafts there. You can check out the Etsy Dallas members at http://www.etsydallas.com/Members.html

Double click on the mini poster to see all the details. Hope to see you there!