I have been trying to come up with a way to reuse our plastic grocery stores bags. At first I wanted to see if I could create a braided rug. I didn’t cut up the bags but just started to try and braid them…it did not work as they were way to bulky and uneven.

So, I took my search online to find out if anyone was making something useful with their plastic bags. My search proved quite fruitful and inspiring. I’ve decided that I want to make a rug for the kitchen. I do not know how well it will work until I get it finished and put it in use. I can however, keep you updated with the progress on my little project because our camera has been found!

My first task is to start making plarn, which is yarn made from plastic bags. The best tutorial that I have come across for making plarn is by Helle Jorgenson over at Gooseflesh. Click here to learn how to make plarn.

Here are some other links for crafty greenies who have made use of their plarn:
Plastic Grocery Bags into Knit 1950’s Outift
Cindy’s My Recycled Bags
How to fuse plastic bags
Betz White and her fused bags

Technorati Tags: crafty ideas, green crafts, laura jean karr, plarn, plastic bags, reuse plastic bags, treehugger with a blog

A/V Friday share. Check out the excellent video that Allie has up for A/V Friday at Allie’s Answers.

Technorati Tags: a/v friday, allie's answers, bag the bag, ed norton, laurajeankarr, national geographic

I am going to jump on the Meat Free Monday bandwagon and give it a spin today. Tonight for supper, I’ll be making a Potato Soup from a base of dry mix by Bear Creek.

Over at Allie’s Answers, she is going with a recipe for Black Bean, Mushroom and Quinoa Stuffed Pepper’s which sounds really good.

Meat Free Monday’s all started with a request from Paul McCartney. Click here to learn more.

And if you’ve started a Meat Free Monday, let me know. Nothing better than a tasty veggie recipe swap!

Technorati Tags: allie's answers, laura jean karr, meat free monday, paul mcmcartney, potato soup, treehuggerwithablog

One way to start going green is to clean in a green way. This means that you make your home cleaning products. Cleaning green has a lot of benefits, which include:
1. Less exposure to harsh chemicals
2. Reducing the amount of plastics you buy
3. Creating a healthier home environment

It’s interesting to note that not all chemically enhanced commercial cleaners list all ingredients on the label. This means that if we use commercial non-organic materials to clean our homes with, we are being exposed to chemicals and chemical combinations that we are not even aware of.

Let’s start with kitchen and bathroom cleaners. We all want the cleanest clean we can get in these areas due to usage and the opportunity that each room has in getting us sick. People often resort to getting addicted to Lysol type cleaners and straight bleach, both of which can actually help to break down your immune system the more you use them. So, give the following recipes a try and toss your commercial cleaners.

Soft Scrub: Baking soda and water use enough to make a paste and start scrubbing. You can also add a pumice stone to scrub with, as pumice will not scratch ceramic. I was leery myself of using a pumice stone at first but once I gave it try the sinks, toilets and tubs came out scum free and non-scratched. Baking soda is also great for getting your stove clean.

All purpose cleaner: mix ½ vinegar and ¼ cup backing soda; add an essential oil of your choice for scenting, if you’re not into the smell of vinegar.

To take care of mold mix one part Hydrogen Peroxide with 2 parts water and spray. Let the solution sit for an hour before rinsing.

One thing that I have started doing is using straight baking soda in my dish washer instead of a commercial dish washer detergent. I was surprised by how clean everything rinsed. No water spots on the galls and the ceramic and reusable plastics I do have came out squeaky clean.

Technorati Tags: clean green, laura jean karr, make your own cleaners, tree hugger with a blog, treehuggerwithablog