I am always looking for new ways to reuse or upcycle items, that are not needed for their original purchase, around my family home. My husband has been known at times, to call me a hoarder like when I keep pretty glass bottles or jars around the house. But, I don’t know, I just feel a little uneasy throwing out something that can be reused.
During the cold winter months upstate NY, where I spend weekends with my family, when the land is covered in snow it can be extremely difficult for ground birds to find food. If the snow lasts a long time, birds can die. Also, insect abundance decreases during the winter so birds that rely on this as a source of food may also struggle.
What did I do to keep busy & take my mind off the astronomical Hurricane Sandy raging outside my window, well I made a pom-pom of course!
One thing that I love to add to a Knitted Ribbed Hat is a pom-pom. It’s a great way to spruce it up and make it look that little bit more fabulous. I usually only add them to hats for children and women; guys do not seem to like them so much!
Art Supplies. Eco-Friendly or Run-Of-The-Mill?
These days, with the force of the Labeling Hazardous Art Materials Act (LHAMA) child related art supplies are tested for safety. But, that does not mean that companies have to take the harmful chemicals out of their products before they put them on the shelves for us to buy. Oh No, it is quite the opposite, by law companies are not even required to list all the ingredients! This means that many art items still contain all kinds of health hazard toxins like lead (pencils/paint), acetone (instant glues), benzene & hexane (rubber cement), and arsenic (pigment in paint). Products labeled as ‘non-toxic’ tend to be misleading because they refer ONLY to the immediacy of the poisoning if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed by the skin. This means that they Do Not explain any long-term danger by using the product.
Scary!!