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Your New Year’s Resolution: Crafty Ways to Go Green with Kids

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Your New Year’s Resolution: Crafty Ways to Go Green with KidsYou’ve heard it before: reduce, reuse, and recycle. But have you really put in the effort to follow that simple mantra? With New Year’s Eve right around the corner, I’ve made my list of New Year’s resolutions, and being more eco-friendly is at the top of my list.

Teaching kids to recycle is an easy way to get the entire family to go green. With just a little crafty inspiration, knowledge, and this guide from AllFreeKidsCrafts, you can make your New Year’s resolution a success. Kids are guaranteed to love these recycled crafts and learning activities, and you’ll love making a difference in your family’s lifestyle this year.

Step 1: Get the Info

Did you know that turning the tap off when you brush your teeth can save up to 8 gallons of water per day? Or did you know that recycling just one aluminum can provides enough energy for you to listen to a full album on your iPod? There are tons of cool things to learn about recycling! To really make the most of your New Year’s Resolution, start teaching kids about recycling by using fun facts like these. It won’t cost you anything at all to start learning how to recycle; in fact, the amount of money you can save when you recycle will amaze you.

Step 2: Get Crafty!

You can reuse just about anything you put your mind to, and these recycled crafts for kids are some of our best. Toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, and plastic bottles are some of the things you go through the most, but there are tons of other things you can recycle into cool craft projects! Let’s take a look at some unique ways to use items around the house:

Egg Cartons

Egg Carton FrogCharming Egg Carton Buttons: add some flair to your latest craft projects for next to nothing!

Egg Carton Frog: this adorable little critter is actually one of our Top 100 Projects of 2013, and it’s easy to see why. Who can resist a craft that’s both cute and thrifty?

Egg-o-Math Game: re-purpose an egg carton into an educational activity for kids!

Toilet Paper Rolls

The King's Recycled CastleThe King’s Recycled Castle: you’ll be the King (or Queen) of going green with this fun recycled craft.

Paper Roll Pencil Organizers: want to learn how to get organized this year, too? With these toilet paper roll crafts, you can be eco-friendly and organized all in one.

Cardboard Tube Minion Crafts: because who doesn’t love those silly yellow fellows?

Plastic Bottles

Miss Money-Saving SquidSoda Bottle Terrarium: this is by far my favorite way to reuse a plastic bottle. Teaching kids the importance of taking care of the earth is much cooler when they can watch something grow.

Creative Cuff Bracelets: turn going green into a fashion statement with this trendy recycled craft for kids.

Miss Money-Saving Squid: cutting down on the trash in your home means making new friends, like this cute creature!

For more entertaining and economical projects, check out our full collection of 92 Recycled Crafts.

Step 3: Go Further

You’ve got the crafts and the facts, so now what? Execution is the most important part of a New Year’s resolution, so it’s time to go further with your new eco-friendly life! Here are a few more fun ideas to help you become a friend to the environment:

DIY Recycling Bins: these recycled crafts from Relish are a fabulously fresh way to go green. Kids will love recycling with these fun and funky bins!

Printable Recycling Coloring Pages: these free printables from Color Me Good are…

My Garbology: this interactive online game for kids will help kids learn about what to recycle, compost, and reuse.

Teaching Kids to Recycle: Earth 911 has come up with five fantastic, interactive ways to teach kids about recycling

 Step 3.5: Go Green! (Literally)

Think you have to wait for spring to get started on your New Year’s resolution? Think again! These planting projects can easily be done inside during the winter, so you can get started on your New Year’s resolution ASAP!

Reduce Your Footprint PlanterReduce Your Footprint Planter

Windowsill Garden Guide

Recycled Newspaper Seed Planters

 

P.S.: I just can’t stop writing about recycled crafts for kids! (Can you tell I’m really looking forward to going green in 2014?) If you’re eager to be more eco-friendly, you’ll love learning how to craft with magazines, what to make with old jeans, and how to reuse old CDs!

What’s your New Year’s resolution this year?

How to Organize Your Life: Easy Sewing Projects

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Cleaning and Organizing Your LifeHappy New Year! The start of a New Year is always a huge relief, isn’t it? Even though it’s just another day, it signifies the start of something new and acts like a reset on your life and on your habits. People make New Year’s resolutions to follow all year round. Have you thought of your own New Year’s resolution?

For many people, getting organized is always near the top of the list. To have your personal space in some sort of order, with things put away and easily located, is a top priority for most people. Luckily for you, we at AllFreeSewing have some fun and easy sewing projects that are geared towards helping you clean and sort your life. Plan ahead and get a head start on all those goals you’re setting for yourself. Maybe you want to keep your house or apartment cleaner; we have some great towel and even Swiffer ideas for you! Do you want to be able to organize your jewelry so you can find what you’re looking for much easier? We have some fantastic DIY jewelry organizers for you to try! And if you’re just looking for a way to make some inexpensive boxes to keep things together and a bit more out of sight, we can help with that, too.

 

Towels and Swiffers:
Before you can actually organize anything, you should probably clean it thoroughly. These easy DIY projects will help you make towels and rags out of things you already own!

Bins and Baskets:
Your stuff is organized; now what? It’s time to put it all in its place!


Accessory/Jewelry Organizers:
What do you do with all your jewelry or smaller items that you want to keep together? Make one of these hanging organizers and never lose track of something again!Hanging Jewelry Holder

 

Miscellaneous Organizers:
If you want to carry over your organizational strengths and know-how to other places of your life (school, your car, by your bed, etc.), were got just the patterns for you!

Sofa Caddy

 

 

Festive Forest Fat Quarter BundleWant to make these gorgeous, sewn projects? You can with the help of this Festive Forest Five Quarter Bundle from Five Monkey Fabrics! Until January 6th you can enter once a day, every day to win these gorgeous prints. Enter here!

What are your New Year’s resolutions?

 

New Year’s Eve Kids’ Crafts to Celebrate and Organize

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Noisemaker Centerpiece3, 2, 1, have some fun and start dancing! It’s almost New Year’s Eve, and you’ve got a spectacular kid-friendly party to throw, or a party that your kids are coming with you to. Either way, you’ve got to keep them having a good time. Why would that make you dance? Because AllFreeKidsCrafts has it all sorted out for you. We have the perfect crafts and recipes to make December 31st go as smoothly as butter. Keep the kids’ tummies full with yummy snacks and tire them out with fun, exciting crafts and you may just get to sneak in your New Year’s kiss without a little nose in the way.

Making noise is a blast for the little ones, so encourage it for one night (only oneFringed Noisemakers night, for your sake) with noise-making crafts. This will keep the kids focused while you’re doing what you do, and then it will give them something to do when the clock strikes 12 instead of simply screaming. There are some creative ideas out on the internet. I really enjoy the Fringed Party Noisemakers.

Other Noisemaker Crafts:

Party HatWearing party hats is fun, but wearing party hats that you made is just awesome. The munchkins will get a kick out of their crafts serving as party decorations everywhere. Hands down my favorite New Year’s Eve kids’ craft is the New Year ball that Exclusive New Year's Ball Dropyou can “drop” in your own home. It’s really a simple craft that will create an unforgettable memory. How fun is it that you can have your own ball drop rather than just watching it on TV? It’s even better than wearing 3D glasses while watching the event in Time Square.

Other New Year’s Eve Kids’ Decorations:

Mouthwatering Midnight Oreo PopsIt is essential that you remember that diet resolutions don’t start until it’s officially January 1st, so make New Year’s edible crafts with your kiddos. All of your guests will be delighted by the clever, festive treats that you and your mini sous chefs create. The kids will just love serving their homemade snacks and showing off their artistic abilities. I’m a big fan of Edible Noisemakersthe midnight Oreo pops because they’re super simple to make, they’re absolutely delectable, and they’re the perfect size for party food.

Other Edible New Year Crafts:

Bonus!

Some other great crafts for your kids or grandkids to make are organizational projects. They’re just as fun for the kids, and they help you out a ton. The kids will look forward to filling their crafts with items, which means that your cleaning will be done for you! Thank the craft goddesses for this one! The organizational castle is a great project that will please both of you. Crown the artist as your New Year’s resolution gets a big head start.

Check out Party Time! 20 Kids’ New Year Crafts and New Year’s Eve Food for a full party craft guide.

Do you let your kids/grandkids stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve?

Auld Lang Singer Sewing Machines: Sew Organizers for the New Year

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Every single year, I do the same thing. I make a New Year’s resolution to organize my life, and then I promptly fail to carry out my goal. Sometimes, I’ll begin cleaning up and tidying everything, but I tend to get so busy and distracted with other things that I usually just shove everything in a closet and jam the door closed. Most of the time, I hardly even know where to begin.

Fortunately, I came across a ton of great organizer projects on AllFreeSewing.com! Take a look at 18 Craft Organizers: Sewing Organizer Patterns for the New Year, and you’ll see what I mean. This collection of sewing organizer projects are quick and easy ways for me to sort everything into a logical place.

 

The Door Organizer will ensure that I never leave home without my keys or phone again, and the Mail Organizer Tutorial will reduce that messy pile of papers on my mantel.

Since I tend to migrate between several different cities, the travel organizers are perfect for me. The Jewelry Roll Tutorial will allow me to bring all of my favorite necklaces, earrings and bracelets without the whole lot turning into a tangled mess. Plus, with the Cool Car Caddy that straps onto the back of my seat, I might actually unearth the floorboard of my car one of these days.

Granted, I’m a bit obsessed with organizational supplies. The thought that I might be able to see my bedroom floor and rediscover the surfaces of my end tables makes me feel a little giddy. But really, the whole collection is fantastic. Check out these sewing organizer patterns in 18 Craft Organizers: Sewing Organizer Patterns for the New Year on AllFreeSewing.com and live up to the promise of New Year’s resolutions for 2012!

FaveCrafts.com 365 Pick Your Creative Word!

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Last year I noticed a lot of my creative Facebook friends were picking a creative word for the year and I decided to join in! The first word that came to mind was “Joy!”  I did enjoy using this word through out 2010 and felt I was inspired and motivated by just posting little “Joy” signs around my studio.

Well, it is now 2011 and it’s time to pick a new word! I thought long and hard because the word Joy was hard to beat as inspiration!

Have you picked out an inspirational word for 2011? Please share it with us by posting a comment!

Favorites Friday: New Year’s Resolution Edition

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It’s my favorite part of the ending holiday season — New Years!  Time to reflect on the past year and apply that insight to the year to come.  Although most of my resolutions never make it past the first couple months, this year, I’m determined to make them last.

So what are your New Years Resolutions?  To inspire you, here are some links of our favorite craft-related resolution ideas!

  • Here you can find some great ways to incorporate crafting into those tried and true resolutions

  • Or, make something crafty to remind you of your intended resolutions like MilkMade.

You can do it!  We believe in you!

Crochet

Jewelry

Knitting

Paper

Sewing

Thrifty