DIY Wedding Delights

Weddings enchant and inspire! It's wedding season, and during the research for an article about creating ethical weddings, I found the most delightfully creative wedding-related DIY projects – in white, of course.

The cake was a tree.

So the bride wore bamboo…

…and carried antique buttons too.

Descending the stairs of no-frills…

...she danced all night in her handmade espadrilles.

Credits and DIY tutorials: Abstraction White Rose Georgia O'Keefe, Wedding Shawl via Purl Bee, Cake Tree - Pretty Chic Blog via Craft, Vicente Wolf for Elle Décor, Button Bouquet - Letters4Lilly, Espadrilles - Between The Lines

Eco-Win: DIY Reusable Bags

My local farmer’s market just celebrated its annual Mother's Day opening. So many folks now carry reusable shopping bags. It must be one of the most remarkable eco-wins of our time. The impact of using plastic bags has been relegated to the equivalent of sleeping with the green-devil. Would you be caught dead without your reusable bags - especially at the farmer’s market?

Plastic vs. reusable bags is one topic that I am asked to write about again and again. I do believe that educating people about issues that affect the sustainability of the planet is paramount. But, if I'm going to ask people to go greener, I like to provide viable options. That’s why one of my favorite writing niches is DIY. For me, making things by hand is just so environmentally-friendly. Plus, I love writing directions and patterns for making things. It's like creating a kick-ass lesson plan!

I've been on a bit of an anti-plastic rant…again. Please revisit with me why this symbol of our throwaway culture is still prevalent…

Why have we not banned disposable plastic bags?

The petroleum and plastics industries oppose the ban of plastic bags and they lobby hard to keep plastic bags in supermarkets. Also, people don’t want to change their habits.

Here's my latest favorite DIY reusable shopping bag:

The crocheted bag above is made from durable natural linen. It scrunches up into a tiny ball small enough to fit in a pocket. I love linen because it is antibacterial and antimycotic (suppresses the growth of fungi). Here is the pattern from Purl Bee for this Crocheted Shopping Bag.

To get us even closer to solving the plastics problem, do you believe we should fine people for not using reusable bags, or charge a fee for using a plastic one?

More DIY bags: Check out the Linen Fabric Bag, Felted Bag and Knitted Bag.

Credit: Purl Bee

Repurposed Boats: Water, Weather and Whim

“Have a happy passing, purchase ” quipped our captain as our ferry headed out to sea towards the island. As we debarked and drove down the unpaved road on the island I have visited every year since I was 20, pilule I noticed small changes. The insular world of living on an island constantly changes and unfolds, as water, weather and whim dictate.

Off-season...

1. It’s quiet. This is always obvious once the swell of summer people fade away. In the spring, it’s a different kind of quiet – one that is laced with the anticipation of new growth, brighter skies, fishing and the upcoming summer season. 2. Everyone knows everyone. During the high season, islanders tolerate the seasonal visitors. On the shoulder seasons (fall and spring), the two groups co-mingle naturally. 3. People who live on islands are forever adaptive and resourceful. While much of the local economy depends upon the glut of summer people, year-rounders know they need to be both practical and imaginative to survive the off-season.

On an island, lighting and wind may change from season to season, but one thing remains constant - boats are a lifeline. When a boat’s usefulness ends, why not give it a new life?

Canoe ‘O Plants

Fishing Boat Storage Sheds

Floating Garden

Credits: Ben Scott, Recylart, Inhabitat, Garden Design