Has it ever occurred to you to reveal the innate beauty of glass milk bottles by etching intricate animal designs into them and then secretly abandoning these creations on random doorsteps?

Me either.

But Charlotte Hughes-Martin did just that in Stourbridge, West Midlands. I was charmed to read about it on Environmental graffiti.

Go to the Daily Mail (Meet the Milk Bottle Banksy) to see the milk bottle show.

Image via stock.xchng.

Even Netflix is sailing on the Origami boat. If you’re a customer, you know that everything about the DVD mailing envelope is reusable as a return envelope except for the mailing panel with your address.

It seems even that is reusable.

Explore Netflix origami for instructions and photos of creations like Elegant Swan, Frog, Box, Crab and more.

Also, check out my post: Renting DVDs from Netflix: Is it green?

Image via Netflix origami.

You’ve seen a bunch of plastic flamingos along with a sign that reads, “Mercy, Marcie’s Turning Marvelous 50!” Right? Or something like that…

Lots of companies provide lawn greeting services for a very hefty price. Yeah, if I’m sneaking around someone’s yard at 2 am adding a punch of plastic animals on stakes, I might charge too.

But, what if you could make your own decor for lawn greetings? Sure, you can. Actually, I’ve never tried it as the thought just occurred to me 10 minutes ago.

What are your ideas for DIY lawn greetings for events like milestone birthdays and new baby arrivals?

This post isn’t completely random. All Holiday Cafe reminded me that it’s National Flamingo Month!

Image via flickr.

These are mostly friendly monsters, though you might have to watch out for a few of them.

Junk artist Jennifer Strunge uses recycled clothing and linens to make these soft sculptures by hand. There’s no pattern, so no two Cotton Monsters will ever be exactly the same.

There’s lots to discover on CottonMonster.com, including a Gallery Of Sold Monsters like Augustine to the right. Also check out the Photo Gallery where you’ll not only see monsters of all shapes, but a couple of adorable real monsters. (Jennifer’s cats.)

Are Cotton Monsters popular?

Yes! Jennifer makes all of them herself by hand, so right now she’s hard at work re-stocking her monster shop.

“I’m a sweet monster.”

[Images via Cotton Monster/Jennifer Strunge. Used with permission.]

Laura, better known as TheScrabbleGal, is going to share with us a fun DIY project involving some re-purposed Scrabble tiles and a few other household materials.

She started creating handmade jewelry and crafts from recycled Scrabble tiles while in college. Now she’s a full-blown Scrabble tile addict. Well, perhaps I should refer to her as an artist instead! That’s her Scrabble tile cuff link to the left.

TheScrabbleGal offers an entire line of E-Book tutorials on how to make more than 77 Scrabble tile jewelry and craft projects, many of which incorporate recycled or re-purposed materials. Check out her Etsy shop — TheScrabbleGal.etsy.com.

Now, a guest post straight from TheScrabbleGal:

This is a project I love teaching, because it’s easy, fun and great for kids! We’re going to make a fingerprint mini-mosaic using Scrabble tiles. All you need are some old Scrabble tiles, an ink pad and a little bit of white primer or paint.

Step 1: Set aside the tiles you’re going to need to spell out the words “Hand Print”

Step 2: Take 11 tiles (any letters will do) and prime the non-letter side so they are completely white. Add a second coat if necessary, and allow to dry completely.

Step 3: Using your old ink pad (be sure to use non-toxic ink) – one finger at a time, cover your fingertip in ink and press your fingertip on the white side of your tile to create a black-on-white fingerprint. Be sure to use one finger per tile. However, in the finished example, I’ve used two tiles for my right thumb. Also, I recommend practicing on a scrap piece of paper first, because getting just the right amount of ink can be a bit tricky. : )

Step 4: Arrange your tiles like the example above.

Step 5: From here, you can do a whole bunch of things – you can transform this into a refrigerator magnet, create a tiled-mosaic, or transform this into wall-art that can be framed and hanged – great for kids’ rooms. (I teach each of these techniques in detail in my tutorials, as well as how to use recycled papers instead of paint.) But there’s no reason to stop there. I’ve had a few Moms tell me that they’ve done a “baby’s first prints” scrapbook project using this idea. The options are endless.

Happy crafting!

Images via TheScrabbleGal.

There’s a new blog on the block, and it’s written by one of my favorite bloggers, Marye.

At Simply Home Remedies, the extremely resourceful Marye will share her homemade secrets with you.

Did you ever think about using Kool-Aid as a dye?

Marye will walk you through the steps to make your very own Kool-Aid tie dye shirt.

Try it out!

Image via stock.chng.

It’s not often you see the perfect reuse/junk creation in the news.

Injured American hiker Jessica Bruinsma attached her sports bra to a cable used to move timber down a mountain in the Bavarian Alps. The lumberjacks who saw it knew something was amiss and she was rescued.

Info Source: Sports bra saves hiker stranded in Alps by CNN.

I wish her speedy recovery for her leg and shoulder injuries. And hey, Good Thinking!

Image via amazon.com.

A British student, Phil Bridge, is developing a waterproofed cardboard bike.

Why?

According to the CNN story, the bike will lower the investment needed to get people cycling and ease fears of stolen or vandalized bikes. The cardboard frame of the bike would be replaced free of charge twice a year, and the metal parts reused with the new frame. That’s the plan anyway. I hope he does it!

Read more at The ultimate in recycling on CNN.

The Comfort Doll Project is organized by Pat Winter who receives donated comfort dolls, and then sends them out to be distributed to abused women.

Pat was inspired by a “crazy quilted art doll” she saw online. She ended up buying that art doll, created by Linda Feuge. This is the doll featured above in the Comfort Doll Project button. The code for the button is available at Comfort Doll Project.

Go to Comfort Doll Project to see many photos of donated dolls. Some are quite imaginative. The photo to the right shows a dozen donated dolls recently sent to Maine. As you see, not all the dolls have human features. There are some cat lovers among the doll artists.

If you want to donate your creations to the project, visit Comfort Doll Project for Pam’s address and more details.

Images/button from Comfort Doll Project/Pat Winter.

I showed you the bird feeder I made out of a baked orange, so I thought I’d tell you how it’s going with the birds.

They ignored it hanging up. I think that’s because there’s no perch for them. When I removed the strings and sat the feeder on a patio table, the birds devoured the seeds right away.

It may be possible to make holes in the feeder to insert a small dowel rod for a perch, but for now I like the feeding cup. There’s something oddly soothing about seeing a bird eat out of an orange. Not sure why.

Image via Peggy Rowland.