On my previous post, we covered a DIY Hemp Necklace project, on this one we discuss recycling a t shirt into a sexy halter top.

Lorain from the DIY Fashion portal at About.com, is the one who enlightens us with her DIY prowess. She has loads of projects on her blog, ranging from the basic and simple, to the more complex.

I like her style of instruction, and she does a fantastic job of covering all the bases, in her do it yourself guides. The picture above shows a t shirt recycled into a brand spankin (new to you) halter top. Doesn’t it look good? I think it looks awesome.

As with all her DIY projects, Lorain tells you what supplies and materials are needed (if any), and guides you from start to finished product, step by step.

For the guide on the DIY T Shirt into Halter Top, proceed to her blog.

Are you the crafty type, or a DIY maven? Then try your hands on this neat DIY Hemp Necklace from editors at About.com

Hostess with the mostess Lorain Blanken, (a/k/a chief editor) goes into each process step by step, and gives great instructions. She tells you what supplies are needed, how long it will take, and exactly how to make the hemp necklace.

I might try this sometime next week, as i do have some hemp twine lying around somewhere. Give it a try, the mini-tutorial is completely free, and doesn’t appear to be a Martha Stewart impossible type DIY project.

If you try it, do let me know how you get on with it, and i will feature your hemp necklaces here on the blog.

If you have some old leathers belts lying around and you can fit them on your waist anymore, here’s a good idea on how to make leather bracelets from recycled belts!

There are plenty of old leather belts that have been discarded because of changing tastes, or a part broke, or maybe the original owner just got too fat. This technique is a way to make bracelets from these belts. Cut them carefully and you should be able to get three from each belt.

I’m using a laser cutter here, but the original technique was taught to me by my friend Becca who used leather tools to create cool effects as well. The method of decoration is your own, but making the bracelet itself is very easy as you’ll see.

via instructables

If you ever wanted to make use of your old CDs and also keep the earth more sustainable, you can check out this DIY on how to build your own LED USB CD Lamp, all made from stuff you’d call junk.  FYI, LEDs use 50+ times less power than your regular old CFL lights.  (That’s right, CFL bulbs are old already, we need LEDs…)

The USB powered LED CD lamp is a very useful gadget. It’s powered by the USB port, so you don’t need any external power supply. The stiff mounting wire, I used acts as a gooseneck and lets you bend the light source in different angles and directions.

via zedomax

In Loudonville, NY two brothers from an iTalian entrepreneurial family, and Sienna College students, have come up with the idea for a DIY Organic Pizza Kit.

The brothers, Matt and Michael DeFazio, developed an interest in organic foods, after their sister (Alaina) took an endocrinology course in college, and learned how food affects the body. She shared this with her father, Rocco, who then shared it with Matt and Michael, and the interest in organic foods and the organic food industry was born. Coming from an entrepreneurial family, Matt and Michael have certain resources available to them, and they have used these connections to start their DIY Organic Pizza Kits.

The Organic Joe’s DIY Pizza Kits, consist of two organic pizza doughs and two organic containers of sauce and cheese, for the cost of $17.95. In case you’re wondering, on the name, Organic Joe’s is inspired in part by their great grandfather, who was named Joe, and who use to have an organic vegetable garden way back before organic was in vogue.

The DeFazio brothers from Loudonville, NY are also philanthropists, as they have already managed to donate $500, to their local college service club, the Franciscan Center For Service & Advocacy at Sienna College.

“It’s important to give back to the community and to help those less fortunate,” said Matt DeFazio. Look for Organic Joe’s soon in outlets, such as co-ops, colleges and schools.

Have you ever wanted to plow your own drive? It will save time and money, plus you get the satisfaction of knowing that you have done it all on your own in more ways than one.

This snow plow is the brain child of bike designer Kevin Blake, and like everyone else he probably thought the same when it came to the time that snow plows are needed. But he no longer has to wait for the plow man; he gets out and does it for himself.

Source [Dvice]

If you are somebody that likes to spend their time down at the beach but at the same time would like to blast out you music really loud, then maybe this is the sort of thing that you could do with.

The DIY solar power speaker system for your tiny Mp3 player, this thing can be made for around $75, the most expensive item is the amp, and the solar panels are around $15. But maybe these could be bought second-hand at half the cost, which really reduces the overall cost.

Source [Planet Green]

So you have a stack of retro LP albums in your attic or basement, just sitting their collecting dust. Maybe one day you will put them on Ebay or donate to a local thrift, but consider this idea. (read below)

 Recycled Album Cover Notepad

How about taking some of those cool album covers and making cute notepads out of them? Yes, gather up your kids (if you dont have kids, gather up local kids) throw a DIY party, and make recycled album cover notepads. How fun is that!

The project involves album covers, paper, a hole punch, wire rings, and scissors. For the whole step-by-step process and instructions, head on over to Crafty Bits.

Are you looking for just the right knit hat for your hair? You know like a baseball cap for guys with the opening in the back. Well i found one you might like.

DIY Ponytail Knit Hat

DIY Life, an online mag, talks about the pattern for a DIY ponytail knit hat, that comes with an opening in the back similar to a baseball cap. Take a look at the pic, it shows in detail the look and style. This is a DIY project complete with instructions, why buy one, when you can make an original one-of-a-kind knit cap. Take a stab at it.

If you are able to make one, shoot us a pic, and we will post it here for all to admire. GL.

Are you participating in this years Buy Nothing Day? This day, which falls on November 24th, is meant to raise awareness of our consumer shopping and spending habits. It aims to remind us that we don’t need to buy things in order to have fun or feel complete.

There are many things to do on November 24th, Buy Nothing Day, instead of waiting in long and dreary lines shopping. Break free from the shackles of consumerism and give back in other ways. Like what? See below for a few fun ideas.

• Visit friends and family, and play some wicked board games.
• Plan a sinfully delicious meal with neighbors.
• Volunteer at your local pantry.
• Have a movie day! (from your own vast DVD collection)
• Check out the events page at BND.
• Create a protest at a nearby shop and speak your mind on unhealthy products or imported manufactured goods.
• Catch up with old friends and invite them over.

As you can see there are many cool and fun activites that can be set-up besides a day at the mall being elbow to elbow with harried and wacked-out shoppers. Let me finish by stating that Buy Nothing Day, is not just about staying away from noisy and crowded shops, it is about being mindful of what all that hungry shopping embodies. Do you know where that thing you want is coming from? Who made it? and In what conditions?

What other ideas can you add to the pot for BND on November 24th?

Source: [Experiments in Living]

Do you run a business? Are you an entrepreneur? Have you jumped on the green bandwagon yet? Well, you and your business stand to gain alot from incorporating some green ideas and practices, you just need to ask yourself a few questions.

Whatever kind of business you run - whether a clothing shop, a restaurant, even an online only venture - know that you CAN make it green. Start by looking at your operations, and ask yourself the following questions:

• how can we reduce, reuse, or recycle? what products are really just extra dressing (such as fancy packaging) and don’t need to be bought or used at all? (such as coffee sleeves) can you find creative ways to reuse paper in your office?
• what can be bought locally? looking at your supplier list are there local suppliers you have not thought of or looked at? is there food you can start using that is grown and sold locally?
• how can you conserve energy? is there any equipment that can be put on strip surges, instead of the wall outlets? are your computers left on all night, how about lights? why not draft up a plan for your employees to come up with ways to conserve, maybe even reward the employee with the sharpest green idea.
• can you sell more in one trip to a customer? with this idea, you are conserving in energy costs with less trips and less shipping from both suppliers and customers
• do you NOT want to set yourself apart from the competition? sure, when you go green you are saying so many things, you are saying hey, i care about the planet, hey, i care for the future sustainability of my business and hey, i care about the growing demand for eco friendly products and practices
• what eco friendly materials can i start using? from fsc certified wood for furniture shops to sustainable fibers for clothing retailers such as bamboo, hemp, canvas, organic cotton there are a number of different ways to add some green in your business
• any other ideas? there are tons more, share some of your own in the comments section below

If you stand back and take a good look, there are so many ways to go green in business, you just need to ask yourself some questions, and go from there.

Source: [Small Biz]

What could be more eco friendly than making your own products? So how about making your own furniture polish?

This is a lot easier than you think; all you need is few household items, sounds to good to be true? Then why not true this simple recipe;

One cup of Olive Oil.

Or

One cup of Vegetable Oil.

And

Half a cup of Lemon Juice.

Mix together and put into a reusable pump action spray bottle.

And that’s it, what could be more eco friendly than that?

Source [Lighter Footstep]

We all know that the best way to save energy is to turn off things when they are not in use. But wait, that is not the end of the whole picture. You also have to unplug it because by leaving it plugged, it still drains some energy while connected to the socket.

People would often find it useless to exert a minimal effort. But in reality, that small effort can make or break what people find entirely a helpful cause towards the conservation of energy that the world is now forced to follow.

Click Here to View in Full Screen Mode

Lauren over at College Candy writes a quick primer for the college set (or anyone)  to consider others for a minute instead of themselves. As a college student she states that she has guy problems, dating issues, roommate quabbles, and what not.

But that all in all her problems are quite minor compared to some who have “real problems”, like homelessness, diseases like cancer, hunger, and domestic abuse.

If you feel like you want to step away from yourself and focus some energy and time on others and give back, take a look below at 10 Ways to Get Started.

10 Ways to Get Started Giving Back

1. Find your local Habitat for Humanity
2. Hold a book drive for inner city schools
3. Volunteer for various city clean up projects
4. Volunteer at a children’s hospital
5. Tutor inner city students
6. Donate your old clothing to a battered women’s shelter
7. Help out with adult literacy programs
8. Join your school’s Dance Marathon or Relay for Life (Don’t have these at your school? Start one!)
9. Donate blood
10. Lend a hand at the local Humane Society

Jessica Seinfeld and Oprah

Funnyman Jerry Seinfeld lovin his wifes Brownies with Carrot Puree

I’m really digging the new cookbook by the wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, Deceptively Delicious. She recently visited The Oprah Winfrey Show and discussed her ”secret” to feeding her family the dreaded veggies.

Deviled Eggs with Carrot or Cauliflower Puree

What is her secret? Jessica Seinfeld uses purees and sneaks them into a variety of recipes. Vegetable purees, maybe not super novel, but still a neat idea, and one that kids can warm up to.

She uses the vegetable purees in main entrees, side dishes, and dessert. For her oatmeal raisin cookie she uses a zucchini and banana puree, which makes for low-fat cookies, too. For the banana bread pictured above, it’s cauliflower puree and peanut butter.

This is a simple and inexpensive idea that anyone who wants to feed their finicky kids more vegetables should try and sounds delish,too. I’m gonna try the deviled eggs with carrot puree, yum!

The cookbook is called Deceptively Delicious and i’m sure is available at major bookstores nationwide, online at Google, or be sure to check with your local library. If they don’t have it yet, i’m sure they will soon.

Source: [Oprah]