Other EtsyTwitter Team Treasuries

Go to the EtsyTwitter Team's blog to see screenshots of other treasuries recently curated. You may also follow the links to Etsy to see more. Don't forget, it is the final days of the EtsyTwitter Team's GO GREEN Event. Lots of shops have specials and sales going on! Hope everyone is having a great weekend. I'll be back blogging on Tuesday!

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Recycled Jewelry? Adorn Yourself the GREEN Way!

These 2" long pair of unique earrings have been added to my "must have" list as well. They are fashioned from vintage plastic and glass beads. The pieces are assembled by hand, without soldering, to create a light, free-moving feel. Threepeats has LOTS of cool jewelry pieces made from vintage items. See for yourself!

This fine silver [.999] pendant is made from an actual leaf with precious metal clay. DID YOU KNOW THAT PMC (precious metal clay) IS ACTUALLY A RECYCLED PRODUCT? During photo processing, silver is recovered. That silver is mixed in with a binder making a clay-like material that can be worked, rolled, formed, stamped, etc. and then fired to create beautiful, fine silver pieces. Made by Punky Jane.

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More Amazing GREEN Finds!

I must, just MUST have one of these pendants. The red is my favorite! Being a wanna be geek, I just think these repurposed circuit boards are too cool! Red circuitry with shiny surface detail was hand cut and ground by Amanda from a recycled circuit board. It rests in a round bezel and is covered in clear resin. Amanda takes custom orders and can turn the pendant into a key chain.

Elephant poo paper? Well, this is a beautiful card, none the less. It's very earth-friendly paper. Don't worry, it's cleaned and sterilized, and it does not smell. To learn about this poo paper and find out why it's such a great way to Go Green, please follow this link: http://www.mrelliepooh.com/aboutus.html Above information was copied from NestOfOwl's shop.

Going Green with the EtsyTwitter Team continues! Check out their blog here: http://etsytwitter.blogspot.com

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Some GREEN Items from the EtsyTwitter Team

Browsing team member's shops, I was looking for vintage, repurposed, or recycled items. This is what I found for today's post.

This lovely pillow was once a wild vintage sweater made of a thick, soft 100% shetland wool in a pattern of turquoise, charcoal grey, pinks, yellows, and a darker blue! FirebirdHouse Designs felted and recycled it to make this perfect pocket journal pillow. FirebirdHouse Designs created the design, which features a 4.5 x 7.5 in pocket on the back of the pillow, made of 100% wool turquoise felt, and decorated with upcycled felted flowers, leaves, and embroidery. Purchasing something like this for your home supports artists, handmade, and the green movement.

Jenco13 makes this item, an eco-friendly alternative to disposable paper coffee cup sleeves. It makes a great gift for a family members, teachers, bus drivers, friends, others, and yourself!!! Better, yet, I recommend checking with your local coffee shop about a discount if you bring in your OWN coffee mug with a crochet coffee cup sleeve. Where we get our morning coffee, we are able to fill our own mug for just $1... For GOURMET coffee! Yum! This saves money and saves our environment. Remember the little things like these. They add up!

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It's Time To Go GREEN

EtsyTwitter Team's Going Green week long event is underway. If you use Twitter, search #etsytwitter to see related tweets, or go to the team's web site http://etsytwitter.blogspot.com

These are our green items made from recycled/repurposed wood:

We also use recycled packaging whenever possible. We reuse bubble wrap, boxes, etc. The finish Michael uses is 100% natural, food safe, exotic nut oil by Master's Blend called Preserve(TM). We give away our wood shavings/sawdust to those who garden or find other uses for it. We implement eco-friendly practices whenever possible, at home and at the studio/gallery.

Each day for the rest of the promotion, I will feature other green items from Etsy and the EtsyTwitter Team, so keep checking back!

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Rustic Rainbow

Don't you just love that shop name? I met Jennifer on Etsy (of course). I fell in love with this listing and had to have it! I know, I know, I have been cursing my big purse, and then get another big purse. I just hate how the keys somehow sink to the bottom of the bag and you can then never find them. Anyway, Jennifer was up for a trade, so I made her a hat. I love re-purposed items. The tie bag is so colorful. Warm colors are on this side with cool colors on the opposite side. I love trading! It enables me to get what I need or want and gets my creations out there. A kind of advertising in a way. I love creating! Crochet for me is so relaxing and rewarding. As Michael and the boys can tell you, I am often in my own little world crocheting and counting stitches. It is so very surreal to think that someone else is wearing something I made. Wow. Please, check out Jennifer's ecclectic Etsy shop. It mostly contains hemp jewelry and polymer clay pieces. She sent me one of her cute wristlets as well. Share the Etsy love!

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Help with Packaging

We had an order that we shipped out on Saturday. Usually, Michael takes the cutting boards to work to package and ships via UPS. Well, this time he brought packaging material home to ship out via USPS on Saturday. We recycle packaging material whenever possible, and Michael has easy access to boxes and bubble wrap from the gallery where he currently works in Banner Elk, NC.

Sometimes, I wonder why we, as parents, even spend money on toys :) when a roll of packing tape, old box, and used bubble wrap will more than suffice and entertain. Oh, and excuse the dirty face and floppy socks, just downtime at the house. Real life with the Rippers. Living our art!

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Cute {Recycled} Find

Looking at recycled, repurposed, upcycled, eco-friendly products on Etsy, I found VintageRetro's notepads/notebooks. What a neat idea! VintageRetro has some specials going on. For the month of March, she is offering free lip scrub with purchase and free shipping if you spend $20 or more. VintageRetro is a new shop, having just opened in February. So support a new Etsian! If you don't make a purchase, visit her shop and send a convo. Share the Etsy love!

As a mother of four, I also think creating recycled notebooks/notepads would be an excellent craft for kids to try. It teaches repurposing, creativity, and thinking "outside the box." I know my Jacob would just LOVE it. After making, they can, in turn, give as a gift to a grandmother or teacher.

For our latest recycled product, check out yesterday's post. Also, to read our Green Statement, go to our Shop Policies and scroll down.

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Go Green!

Sorry to have skipped yesterday's post, but I took a much needed computer vacation! Now, back to blogging...

This is what we are all about! Michael loves to re-purpose whenever possible, and here is an example. He saw this amazing wood from a shipping crate at work. He thought he could make some very cool cutting boards (yes, we have more than one) from it...

This board is made from an unknown exotic wood (sometimes referred to as "jungle wood"). It is very lightweight. There are very cool nail marks on the back (seen in last picture). Handmade by Michael and hand finished with 100% food safe exotic nut oil. The board pictured is the one you are purchasing. It measures 13" by 4 3/4" and 5/8" thick. Perfect size for use as a sandwich board! Or if you'd rather, use it as a display board. Place candles or incense on it. Decorative and functional!

If you'd like to see the listing on Etsy, click on photo. If you'd like to see the listing on ArtFire, click here. See affordable price and more pictures!

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Fuzzy Flower Crochet Necklace

I posted this new listing yesterday on Etsy. It is a fuzzy flower crochet necklace. It is made from 100% recycled yarn from CraftyYarn. It features 6 crochet flowers about 4" in diameter for a total length of 80". Wrap it any way you'd like! It not only can be worn around your neck, but also your waist, in your hair, where ever you'd like to wear it! Be creative! Express your unique style and personality with this gorgeous steel gray with orange accented wearable art! After crocheting this piece I did attempt to wet felt it. Because of the fiber content (60% wool, 20% soysilk, 20% mohair) it did not completely felt, but the process did leave it with this amazingly fun and fuzzy texture. I love it, as I am sure you will too! There are more pictures on Etsy.

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