Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Handmade Back to School

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[hKristin]

If you’ve walked through a Target or office supply store near you lately you know that it is back to school time. The great news for those of you headed back to school, or with kids headed back, is that there are lots of handmade options that will help to set you or your child apart from the pack this fall.

Finding the right three-ring binder can be an ordeal, but take a look at this great option from Crown Bindery. Their binder makes organization a breeze and lets you choose how many pages to put in each section, and how to label them for maximum efficiency!

School-1-Binder

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To market, to market.

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[hRebecca]

A locavore at heart, I absolutely love going to the Farmers Market in the summer. First, there’s the anticipation that I feel on my way there; will there be yellow squash this week? Is the corn ready? Then, there’s the joy of choosing from a veritable rainbow of fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers as I go from stand to stand. And, finally, there is the satisfaction of knowing that I have done my part to support my local grower. I always leave the market with a full tote (or two) and a happy soul. It truly is my zen place.

Starting off, I wouldn’t dream of heading to a Farmers Market without the right eco-friendly shopping bag. This durable canvas tote by Blue Tulip fits the bill beautifully. Generously sized, and handmade from a cheerful 100% cotton print, this bag is ready to be loaded up with greens…and reds…and yellows!

Orange_Agapantha_003

In my not-so-humble opinion, nothing beats the taste of fresh, seasonal vegetables picked and enjoyed at their peak. These reusable mesh bags by Eco-Etsy member Love for Earth are the perfect companions for your veggie shopping. Must-haves at the Farmers Market for bagging-up everything from apples to zucchini, you’ll also want to take these with you to the grocery store year-round. Just be prepared to be the envy of your fellow shoppers!

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Plarn-ing Ahead

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Plarn is the new yarn (or wool, as us Brits call it.) It’s name comes from combining the words ‘plastic’ and ‘yarn.’ Plarn is made up from folded and shredded plastic bags which are then rolled into a ball and is used as a replacement yarn. It is then crocheted into various items. I’ve seen bags, (like the above) necklaces, ear rings, koozies, cuffs, scourers, coasters and even headbands made from plarn. (Top image: Arny’s Etsy)

Yep, I said necklaces made from plarn. This was one of my favourites from the Arny shop, but if you wanted something a little more low key and less chunky you could opt for something like this:

The Arny shop strapline is; “Giving Earth a second chance.” And after a recent de-clutter and purge of my un-used “stuff” I came across Plastic Bag Mountain in our kitchen.

We have a huge collection of plastic bags and here’s why; we don’t drive otherwise we’d invest in some strong milk cartons which would carry our groceries home, so every time we hit the store, we (read: my husband) forget to pack our ‘Bags For Life’ (a cotton bag that the stores have taken to sell near the cash registers in order to encourage customers to opt out of using plastic bags.) So more plastic bags are used, collected, stored in the tiny kitchen we have and generally they get forgotten about.

I have heard it takes 1,000 years for a plastic bag to break down in a landfill site. Bearing this in mind, I wanted to check this out for myself. There are conflicting studies; some studies suggest that it takes between 10-20 years to break down (The New York Times, Nemve E. Metropolitan Diary, October 1, 2001) and Ohio State University telling us that by adding moisture to a landfill site that it will speed up the decomposition process.

Either way, plastic bags are becoming a growing problem; clogging up drains, being a general eyesore and have even more serious fatal consequences when wildlife mistake plastic bags for food.

In the UK our supermarkets have started to charge it’s customers per bag when they opt for plastic as a way to bring down the usage of plastic bags.

So while I still have Plastic Bag Mountain I will opt to learn to crochet, make plarn and try my hand at plarning myself some necklaces for next Christmas. And thanks to eHow and their step by step “how to” on making plarn I can make my own ball of plarn.

What's Inside Your Beach Bag?

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Grab your beach bag. It’s time to hit the Beach!

Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off to summer. There’s nothing like that first day, after a long winter, where you dig your chair into the sand, throw down your new beach bag crammed full of beach-day necessities, and lounge away. This nautical stripe bag from Banyan Hippo is a great summertime accessory.

Coastal Living, one of my all-time favorite magazines, has a monthly column that spotlights a celebrity’s beach bag. Recently they looked inside the bags of Tory Burch and Michael Kors. It’s not just what’s inside a bag that makes a great beach bag, but the bag itself makes a statement.

This got me thinking, about my beach bag. I grew up at the Jersey Shore, where my friends and I spent all summer on the beach. I bought beach bags like other people bought shoes. Was it a Palm Beach kind of beach day (coral and green cabana-striped bag) or did I feel more Nantucket-y (Wicker with navy blue gingham lining.) Of course, it didn’t matter what bag I used, the contents I would stuff inside all remained the same. All the things I needed to keep me blissfully beach bound for the day—a book, a magazine, a notebook (for when I felt like making lists), sunscreen, snacks, and water.

This journal from Three by Sea is the perfect size for jotting down sea side.

A food bag from Bebeloosh Mini will keep snacks sand-free.

What more could you want in a day sitting sea-side? After, I’ll shake out my towel and hang my bag up (ideally on a hook like this one from Monkey and Squirrel)

I might not lounge endlessly anymore, but I still hit the beach when I can, and all my favorite necessities come with me.