Simply Green Parties

Simply Green Parties: Simple and resourceful ideas for throwing the perfect celebration, event, or get-together by Danny Seo


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed the photos/styling of this book. I enjoyed many of the ideas. Seo brings the concept to reduce, recycle and reuse upfront in party planning. Very nice ideas about reusing household items or getting items at thrift stores to repurpose for party decor. Many of the ideas are very chic and can be adapted to fit your needs.

Okay so the bad things....There were some things I didn't get why he felt they were green. I mean there shouldn't be a lot of trash after a green party. And he suggested using bamboo paper plates. Now that is more eco-friendly then the plastic disposable plates or regular paper plates...but what would be even more eco-friendly is using real everyday plates. Getting a plain white porcelain plate - and you can plan any party around that. Or picking up odd sets at thrift stores and mixing and matching is always to me a better choice then paper. He also did bottled water. Plastic bottles of water....I loved what he did with them making flavor waters but why not pitchers of filtered tap water with fruit in them instead of plastic water bottles.

Over all I am glad I read it. I enjoyed it. I am always thinking of ways to be more green and it did give me ideas for that.

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Tree Skirt and Owls

I love this tree skirt. It is from Crate and Barrel. It is a little expensive on Crate and Barrel - I think it would be less inexpensive to replicate and also easy to make.

I also love these owls too. So so cute! But not sure I could make them.

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge goals are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Progress: Front closet is done. So at least one more thing off the list. I can actually store the vacuum in it now - instead of it sitting in my studio where it had been.

Goals Completed: bedroom closet, Michael's office and front closet

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge goals are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Progress: Michael's office is done. It was a BIG project and now the living room looks like donation centers drop off box. As we have several boxes to donate, some to sell and some is just storage items. But it looks great. Better organized for him. I still wish there was a way to get him a little bit bigger office.

Goals Completed: bedroom closet and Michael's office

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge goals are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Progress: I started on Michael's office a little bit. And we are looking at some optional storage solutions for is office too as he just doesn't have enough room. Although now with one computer blowing up he does have more room to utilize on his desk.

I am going to carve out some time to do art this weekend. I got some repurposed some furniture and really like how I have things organized so it should make creating easier.

Goals Completed: bedroom closet

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge goals are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Progress: I got the bedroom closet organized and decluttered. I have a box started that will be going to goodwill after I am done going through the house. Nothing else accomplished on these goals.

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Progress: Well I didn't really do anything on these goals. I have been organzing and decluttering but not the specific areas I put down as goals. I haven't done art yet but I do think I have my studio organize in a way that will be more productive - easier to find things and see things that inspire me. For the Soul Collage goal I did tear some images out of magazines that I think I want to use for some of them. For the sewing goal as I said I picked up the book. And I have read it so now just need to see if I have fabric to make something or start deciding what I want to make.

Doing Not Thinking Challenge

I am doing the challenge through my other blog but since it is mostly artistic goals I will be posting the progress here too.

I did the challenge last time Kathie at Two Frog Home suggested it. And I really liked having the goals and seeing that I was actually doing instead of just thinking. One of my BIGGEST thinking but not doing issues is my art. I think about it ALL the time. I have written down a ton of things in my art journals that I want to create but I don't actually get around to creating. So this time around I decided to put that into my goals.

So my goals for this Doing Not Thinking Challenge are:
1. Work on art once a month (great if more but I want to at least try for once a month)
2. Create Soul Collage cards (like at least 3 done by the end of challenge)
3. Organizing and decluttering - which I have been working on already but want to continue with these areas
* storage
* Michael’s office
* bedroom closet
* front closet
4. Sew one thing. I haven't sewn in years and picked up a basic sewing book at the library and want to make it a goal just to sew one thing so that I don't keep putting it off.

Recent Reads

Checked out Big-Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano is a fun book! Lots of kitschy crafts. Switch plates, hanging lamps, punk plates, Japanese hand-mirrors, Warhol litho-pillow, ultra-suede covered containers, fabric covered hangers and so many more. It is a big ass book of crafts but lots of fun.





Another I am reading right now is Home Hints and Tips by Rosamund Richardson. It is very interesting but also making me a little batty. It is a guide to living in modern times naturally, safely, leaving less of a foot print on the planet and just over all more healthy. Talks about all the toxins in paints, wax on foods, plastics leaching and so on - so making me a little sick to my stomach when I think about it all. It has great tips and resources though.

I would like to have both on my bookshelf.

Blog Hopping

Newspaper Bunting @ Maya Made - a great way to repurpose newspaper - fun and easy!

Daffodil Napkin Rings @ Good Housekeeping Crafts - fun, easy and cheery for Spring and Easter!

Make Coasters from Paper Napkins and Tiles @ Curbly - I thought of my Mom with this one only because she likes pretty decorative paper napkins. And it is something I am sure I got from her too because my friends could testify that most packages they get from me has paper napkins in it.

And then one non-craft - more decorating that I just think is cute...

Bundt Pans on the Wall @ 2Modern - I have seen pans like that at thrift store. Even make them bright and new again by using magic erasers on them and maybe doing a coat of paint on them since they are just being decoration

Blog Hopping

Link for Valentine tablescapes - all sorts of them here. It isn't a blog. But pretty ideas.

Saving in Style - So cute as well as a good idea. I used to clip coupons but I haven't in a long time. What I don't like about coupons is they are for pre-packaged foods often.

I love using my crockpot. I do at least once a week. But I blog hopped on to this blog that did a YEAR of using the crockpot EVERY DAY for 2008 - A Year of Crockpotting

Growing up one of my Mom's quick meals was hot ham and cheese sandwiches. I actually crave them. And tried to make them not too long ago but they just didn't turn out like Mom's. Found this link for a recipe for them (now that blog is on my sidebar too because I found so many good recipes) and it made me want to try them again.

Numi Tea Dance

A wonderful friend of mine sent me tea a while back all sorts of different brands and kinds. It has been a wonderful treat. Anyway today I was making myself a cup of Numi Golden Chai. It is a 100% organic spiced assam black tea.

On the back of the package it says:
"For the perfect cup of tea bring fresh water to a boil and carefully pour over a bag of Golden Chai. As you dance with a loved one one, steep 3-5 minutes, to desired strength..."

So while the tea was steeping I read the package to Michael. And he grabbed me to dance. It was one of those moments that I just always want to remember.

Oh and the tea is very good too.

Christmas Tins

I have quite a few Christmas tins for baked goods but here are a set of 3 that are some favorites. My Mom got them for me several years ago and they are perfect for Christmas candies! They are by Mary Engelbreit...I enjoy her whimsy!

Christmas Around Our Home

Snowglobe that I got Michael for his birthday. It is one of those motion ones that when you turn the music on the snow starts swirling around. The tin has 3 country holly hobbie like angels and 3 girls always reminds me of my sisters and I. The little bowl that is just peeking out form behind the snowglobe....is a set of 3 that Michael bought me as just a little holiday surprise. They are really cute and I need to take pictures of the whole set!













Please don't mind the crooked picture in the photo as I knocked them when putting the garland up and didn't get them straightened before snapping a photo. The Santa and sleigh are by Jim Shore. We got it when visiting my parents for Christmas in 2004. We got it after holiday sales at the Mall of America. We ended up getting several things in that store.


















We have quite a few glass cupboard fronts so I take paper garland and put it on the shelves to peek through and give it just a bit of Christmas cheer. I have several different garlands - nutcrackers, snowmen, Santas and angels.












Chair with a quilted pillow....the table runner is on the table next to it and then we also have the matching tree skirt.

















The reindeer Michael's parents gave us...I think it is meant as a plant stand but because of the cats we don't have plants because they might eat them. So instead I am using to hold all our Christmas cards!

















Not a full nativity set but this is just a tiny set with manger, angels and sheep that was Michael's Grandmothers. It sits in our 2nd bathroom.














In the little bathroom again....tins and paper snowman and Santa.

O Christmas Tree

Full view of the tree...(click on picture to get a bigger view)


Bears around the bottom of the tree....


Close up of a some of the bears...

The bear with the blue vest and cap is a bear that Frank & JoAnne gave me while they were here and I was sick. It is very soft and cute!

And a few more...

Silly Tired

I am silly tired today. Where nothing is making sense. I am dropping things. I just can't focus. I went to bed stupid late last night but my mind was just kind of going and going so just not ready to go to sleep. I also am getting really caught up in the
Drums of Autumn. I had been only reading a few pages before I hit the pillow but right now it is so good I can't put it down.

We leave Saturday for Michael's parents so I have some things to get done before we leave. But for the most part I can say most of my major projects are done. I have a gift I making Michael but we aren't having our Christmas probably until New Years so I will have time if I need to finish it when we come back. But I am hoping I do get a chance to work on it this week some.

Today is cleaning yay! I need to wash the kitchen floor after baking the end of last week it is needed. I had been wrapping presents in the living room on Saturday so I have to vacuum and straighten up in there because I have Christmas wrap, ribbon and tags scattered about. And I have ironing/steaming to do and clothes to fold. So not a huge day. Tomorrow I need to get some goodie baskets ready for neighbors and friends. I am sure we will need to run out and get some last minute gifts. And then I will need to pack us.

Michael unfortunately has a very full and packed week. He has a ton of work and not much of it I can help him with so it will be very busy for him. And I know stressful to get everything done he needs to before we leave. And I am sure he is going to stress over leaving some of it until we get back.

Quiet

I have been quiet because when we come home I crash. And then we have had work to do so been busy with that.

Today we went grocery shopping. This afternoon I made a few loaves of herbed french bread and sour cream cookies. Michael has a meeting tomorrow night that he is bringing snacks to so I am making a taco dip and then some french bread pizza. I felt like I smelled like basil all afternoon because the basil in the bread was so strong.

Tomorrow and Friday I am steam cleaning carpets as it will be in the 70's so I can keep the windows open while the carpet drys.

(cropped image from ATC Plug In)

Halloween Decorations

Last year I bought some napkins, towels and table runner at Kohl's after Halloween Sale. So this year I was exicted to decorate for Halloween.

Pumpkin basket I bought at Michael's not to long ago. It has Halloween napkins in it with a few silk leaves in fall colors in it and also under it.

The runner I got a Kohl's last year. Black with green, orange, white stitched strips and pumpkins on the end of it.

I have had this Pumpkin cutout stand FOREVER! It has a little Halloween tin with a candle in it that smells like licorce.

A little Pumpkin bag with a Halloween candle next to it.

Ceramic pumpkin and little stuffed ghost

Little pumpkin bells on silkcord attached to some of the cabinet handles

Little tissue fold out pumpkin and clay black cat

Another little pumpkin and then a pumpkin candle and the picture is of Michael and I. Although I am party covered by the candle.