Recycle with catressa

What, you were going to throw away those perfectly good broken dishes, glasses, mirrors!
I don't! I am the white trash Martha Stewart. Laugh but it is true, I am always painting or creating something out of sheer boredom, and mosiac pieces, are something that everyone loves. Simple Idea get a terracotta pot of any size, you can buy the grout and everything you need at Joann's.
and if you don't believe what can be done with broken ceramics and glass ware take a good look at the picture, it is of a pagoda in Bangkok, completely covered and decorated with pieces of broken teacups, built at a time that other materials were too costly!

Plastic grocery bags we all get them, use them for restroom trash, yard sale bags, you can even make a simple holder out of scraps of old t-shirts and jeans. Designs are easy to find on the net.

As I paint I often use a lot of napkins when I do. Fast Food places always give away too many and I keep them in a bag under my sink and use those for scrap messes. The same could be said of an old t-shirt. How many of us grab up husband's stained one, tear up and use it as a dust cloth ? If you don't you should.

Used clothing: I go through my kid's clothing on a monthly basis. Victoria has hit a growth spurt again, I find what I consider to be wearable and wash it and take it a place in Tacoma, mine is a shelter for battered women. Yours could be a church, Goodwill Store, or even a friend. Pass it on. Same can be said for household goods. You buy a new coffee pot, and nothings wrong with old one, give it to someone who could use it. You will be surprised by how good something simple like giving away a set of dishes will make you feel.

A little household hint: Cleaning and spot treaters. How many of you can never get stains out? Sees the hands through the screen..

Blood use peroxicide, dab it on there it will bubble, and keep repeating till most of stain is gone, then wash.

White t shirt, big huge stain right in center? Don't go buying cleaners, use bleach. Get a paintbrush, and paint some bleach onto it allow it to sit and rinse, repeat and wash. should come right out.

Grease stain on red shirt. Dishwashing soap, straight to the area, normally two washings work best, I forever have grease stains on my clothes even though I bake.

Party bags: With having four kids I get a ton of ribbons, and bags when they have birthdays. Why throw those away ? I use them for storage, other peoples birthdays, holidays and such (make sure however you don't give the same bag to the original owner, ha ha this has been done). Ribbons are great for art projects, most kids love them and right now the princess head wreaths are what the girls in my area love. It was no big thing then to make them all one when I had two shoe boxes filled with ribbon.
The men out there might say "Oh gosh what a pack rat!" but I keep shoe boxes as storage containers and they are all neatly marked. So keep things but do it in an orderly fashion. Easy to find too.

Old Magazines are one of the best entertainment tools in my home. I use them for art with the kids, we pick a subject and find it . Silly and time consuming. Let me repeat. TIME CONSUMING... Those little hands take a long time to find just the right words, pictures to mail to grandparents. And yes though you will have to mail them , your parent's will love home made art. Oat containers are best for holding pens, I paint them a solid color, and the kids do the art. Pringles could work as well, anything with a lid. It is teaching them to reuse things. I even have something to make out of toilet paper cardboard. TOO much time on hands send help now.

Set up three trash bins and expain to your household what it is for. Use the money from cans for a extra thing each month. You would be surprised how many cans your kids will find. (Picture my face at this..) They love knowing they are doing their part.
Most cities have a science museum, take your kids, make it a day, or better yet, take them to a recycling center. Paper is something I always have a ton of, notes sent from teachers, school, I save it in a box with the kids' other art supplies and when they want to draw ? They use that instead of my nice printing paper.

This might seem a hassle but once you have done it awhile it's not. It is for the betterment and it is simple things. One step at a time. It isn't as if I am asking you to give up your shampoo because it is bad for animals : ). Though, (whispers) watch out there are some people out there who will say that.
Change is gradual, not overnight. Consider yourself what you would like to change and do it. Stay on your kids to turn off the lights. That is one thing I will yell about. Be nice to yourselves and each other, Catressa