Between Thanksgiving and New Years Day American household waste increases by more than 25%.-when you add food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons - it all adds up to an additional 1 million tons of waste per week sent to our landfills. (Source: EPA)
Every year in the U.S. alone the annual trash from gift-wrap and shopping bags totals over 4 million tons. (Source: Use Less Stuff)
Are those statistics enough to make you consider a green, waste free Christmas?
Decorate Green
The first thing you'll want to do to create a waste free Christmas is decorate green with recyclable, reusable items. Skip the stuff that's just going to be tossed in the trash and use heirloom ornaments and decorations that can be used year after year. If you do invest in new items make sure you buy quality products that will last for years to come.
There's an ongoing debate about Christmas trees. An artificial tree can keep real trees from being cut down but artificial trees are not usually made of earth-friendly materials, but once you buy one it lasts for years- a good one that is taken care of can last decades. I know, I use my mom's artificial tree that she purchased thirty years ago.
Keep reading here.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
5 tips for editing and creating beautiful digital photo projects
Photo gifts are the best presents ever- especially for family.
Grandparents love nothing more than a gift filled with photos of their grand kids that they can show off to all their friends. I know my mom loves getting custom made photo books and photo gifts that she can take to the senior center and show to all of her friends. Not only can she show off her family she can brag that her daughter made the gifts for her.
I've taught myself how to use digital editing software, it hasn't been the easiest thing but I'm still learning and I love it.
I recently started using photoshop and now I'm addicted. Before graduating to Photoshop I just used basic editing software that online companies like Shutterfly and Kodak offer.
I can do so much more with Photoshop- it's amazing. I love to sit back and sometimes simply admire my handiwork. I never in a million years thought I would be creating digital works of art. For years I shied away from computer creations and stuck to old fashioned real work cutting, pasting and scrapbooking. Now I have realized I can do so much with digital photo editing.
Here are my 5 tips for editing and creating beautiful digital photo projects:
1) Always save your work and have back ups. I like to keep my original photos as well as the new works of art I create so as soon as I start to edit a photo I save it under a new file name. That way I have both my original copy and my new creation.
2) Start with the simplest edits- like removing red eye. More than once I have done a lot of edits and photo adjusting only to print out my final version and realize I didn't fix the red eye. So now red eye removal is the first thing I do.
3) Don't be afraid to experiment. My mother hates the computer because she's always afraid she's going to mess something up. I know that you learn through mistakes and because you mess up. You can't be afraid to try new things. The good news is that with computers- there's always the "undo" button.
4) Make sure your photo settings save your photos with the highest pixel count possible this will give you the best resolution for photo gifts- especially if you want to make t-shirts, blankets, puzzles or anything else that will need really clear resolution. You can always compress and save smaller versions of the files for easy sharing on photo and social media sites.
5)Have fun. By far this is the most important tip. Enjoy what you do enjoy what you create. Making beautiful photo gifts should be enjoyable, not a chore. If it stresses you out perhaps you should try a different creative endeavor.
So go forth and create photo gifts- the holidays are right around the corner, what photo gifts are in your future?
I see Christmas tree ornaments filled with images of Christmas past along with photo books filled with this year's most memorable moments.
Disclaimer: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Adobe blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
Grandparents love nothing more than a gift filled with photos of their grand kids that they can show off to all their friends. I know my mom loves getting custom made photo books and photo gifts that she can take to the senior center and show to all of her friends. Not only can she show off her family she can brag that her daughter made the gifts for her.
I've taught myself how to use digital editing software, it hasn't been the easiest thing but I'm still learning and I love it.
I recently started using photoshop and now I'm addicted. Before graduating to Photoshop I just used basic editing software that online companies like Shutterfly and Kodak offer.
I can do so much more with Photoshop- it's amazing. I love to sit back and sometimes simply admire my handiwork. I never in a million years thought I would be creating digital works of art. For years I shied away from computer creations and stuck to old fashioned real work cutting, pasting and scrapbooking. Now I have realized I can do so much with digital photo editing.
Here are my 5 tips for editing and creating beautiful digital photo projects:
1) Always save your work and have back ups. I like to keep my original photos as well as the new works of art I create so as soon as I start to edit a photo I save it under a new file name. That way I have both my original copy and my new creation.
2) Start with the simplest edits- like removing red eye. More than once I have done a lot of edits and photo adjusting only to print out my final version and realize I didn't fix the red eye. So now red eye removal is the first thing I do.
3) Don't be afraid to experiment. My mother hates the computer because she's always afraid she's going to mess something up. I know that you learn through mistakes and because you mess up. You can't be afraid to try new things. The good news is that with computers- there's always the "undo" button.
4) Make sure your photo settings save your photos with the highest pixel count possible this will give you the best resolution for photo gifts- especially if you want to make t-shirts, blankets, puzzles or anything else that will need really clear resolution. You can always compress and save smaller versions of the files for easy sharing on photo and social media sites.
5)Have fun. By far this is the most important tip. Enjoy what you do enjoy what you create. Making beautiful photo gifts should be enjoyable, not a chore. If it stresses you out perhaps you should try a different creative endeavor.
So go forth and create photo gifts- the holidays are right around the corner, what photo gifts are in your future?
I see Christmas tree ornaments filled with images of Christmas past along with photo books filled with this year's most memorable moments.
Disclaimer: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Adobe blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
My Favorite Road Trip
When I was a kid it seemed we were always on the road. Growing up in Michigan it was the thing to do to travel "up north".
My stepfather had a cabin up in Harrison, Michigan so on the weekends during summer vacation we were always up there- sometimes during the winter too.
Though most winters my stepfather went to Florida, at least for a month or so. One spring break he was still there so when I got out of school for Easter break my mom packed us up and we headed to Florida. I brought along my BFF Jen to keep me company.
It's been over twenty years since that road trip and it is still one of the most memorable road trips ever.
On the way down to Florida we had a blast watching the scenery change, getting the truckers to honk their horns and "communicating" with any boys who happened to be travelling along the same stretch of road.
We were 12 year old boy crazy girls - you better believe we were keeping an eye out for the boys. :-)
I remember at one point we got behind a motor home that had two boys around our age in it. At this point we were pretty much in a traffic jam due to construction so weren't moving fast or far. Our boredom gave way to flirtatious waves, winks and giggles. Before long we were writing back and forth to each other with signs we created using our notebooks and markers. (Wow, how things have changed, today we'd exchange cell numbers then text back and forth)
After the traffic jam cleared we parted ways with our new boyfriends when their motor home exited at an off ramp. We were temporarily heartbroken but we soon moved on to other interests.
This was the first time any of us had been to Florida (even my mom) so we took in every sight and sound and soaked up all the sun and salt water we could. The trip was something I'll never forget, it was the first time I ever swam in the ocean...and the first time I ever ran out of the ocean because of a shark sighting.
The trip home was just as interesting as the drive down though for much different reasons.
The car's alternator was going out- on a 26 hour drive from Florida to Michigan. We couldn't play the radio, use the air conditioner or turn on the lights because it would drain the battery.
I don't remember why we didn't get it fixed- I think they would have had to order the part and we'd have gotten stuck somewhere for a couple days while they fixed it.
Either way it took us twice as long to get home because we couldn't drive after dark. The fun thing was that we got to stop in a couple different states and stay in hotels. That was another new experience for us- on the way down we drove straight through so there were no hotels to stay at.
On the way back to Michigan we stayed in two different hotels and one had a vibrating bed.
You know the kind you stick a quarter in and then the whole bed shakes like you're in an earthquake. Jen and I couldn't get enough of that teeth rattling bed. We thought it was hilarious. My mom just laughed at us.
Once we got home we couldn't quit talking about our Florida vacation adventures- especially everything that happened while "on the road".
To this day I still think it was the most memorable vacation ever- and that unforgettable road trip happened in the spring of 1989.
Disclaimer: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Discount Tire blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card and be entered for a chance to win a prize valued at $1,000. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
My stepfather had a cabin up in Harrison, Michigan so on the weekends during summer vacation we were always up there- sometimes during the winter too.
Though most winters my stepfather went to Florida, at least for a month or so. One spring break he was still there so when I got out of school for Easter break my mom packed us up and we headed to Florida. I brought along my BFF Jen to keep me company.
It's been over twenty years since that road trip and it is still one of the most memorable road trips ever.
On the way down to Florida we had a blast watching the scenery change, getting the truckers to honk their horns and "communicating" with any boys who happened to be travelling along the same stretch of road.
We were 12 year old boy crazy girls - you better believe we were keeping an eye out for the boys. :-)
I remember at one point we got behind a motor home that had two boys around our age in it. At this point we were pretty much in a traffic jam due to construction so weren't moving fast or far. Our boredom gave way to flirtatious waves, winks and giggles. Before long we were writing back and forth to each other with signs we created using our notebooks and markers. (Wow, how things have changed, today we'd exchange cell numbers then text back and forth)
After the traffic jam cleared we parted ways with our new boyfriends when their motor home exited at an off ramp. We were temporarily heartbroken but we soon moved on to other interests.
This was the first time any of us had been to Florida (even my mom) so we took in every sight and sound and soaked up all the sun and salt water we could. The trip was something I'll never forget, it was the first time I ever swam in the ocean...and the first time I ever ran out of the ocean because of a shark sighting.
The trip home was just as interesting as the drive down though for much different reasons.
The car's alternator was going out- on a 26 hour drive from Florida to Michigan. We couldn't play the radio, use the air conditioner or turn on the lights because it would drain the battery.
I don't remember why we didn't get it fixed- I think they would have had to order the part and we'd have gotten stuck somewhere for a couple days while they fixed it.
Either way it took us twice as long to get home because we couldn't drive after dark. The fun thing was that we got to stop in a couple different states and stay in hotels. That was another new experience for us- on the way down we drove straight through so there were no hotels to stay at.
On the way back to Michigan we stayed in two different hotels and one had a vibrating bed.
You know the kind you stick a quarter in and then the whole bed shakes like you're in an earthquake. Jen and I couldn't get enough of that teeth rattling bed. We thought it was hilarious. My mom just laughed at us.
Once we got home we couldn't quit talking about our Florida vacation adventures- especially everything that happened while "on the road".
To this day I still think it was the most memorable vacation ever- and that unforgettable road trip happened in the spring of 1989.
Disclaimer: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Discount Tire blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card and be entered for a chance to win a prize valued at $1,000. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
Sunday, November 21, 2010
A Review of Science on a Tracking Expedition Toy/Kit for Ages 4+
My little guy loves to be outside and he really loves animals.One of his favorite shows is Diego- he always amazes me with his animal knowledge.
When he's outside he is always on the lookout for signs of animals. So when we had the chance to try out the Science on a Tracking Expedition kit we jumped on it.
This kit gives him the chance to not only look for animal prints but make molds of them, paint them and keep them while learning about what animal made the print and facts about the animals.
What a fabulous and fun way to learn- hands on.
Here are the details of the kit:
Science on a Tracking Expedition
Young Scientists will learn about animal tracking through exciting hands-on science experiments and activities. Identify animal tracks, learn about the animals that make the tracks, cast animal tracks, play the tracking game, create animal track prints, design an animal track poster, and explore real animal tracks in nature. The eight realistic animal footprint molds, large colorful poster, and eighty animal game cards are some of the unique enclosed items that will aspire all Young Scientists to become animal track explorers!
(Ages 4 and up)
WH-925-1136
Price: $29.99
My little guy is head over heals for this kit.
The animal tracks game is something the whole family can play together and help him learn while we have fun and spend quality family time together. My husband loves playing this with him because the two guys can bond over animals and outdoorsman stuff.
They also had fun going into the woods and looking for good tracks to cast with plaster.
My daughter enjoyed helping her little brother create the tracking poster.
It is honestly a game/kit the whole family played with together while everyone learned a thing or two about animals and their tracks.
I see two more science kits I'd love to get for Christmas the Science on a Garden Adventure and Science on a Nature Walk. I really think both children would enjoy these kits.
Science on a Gardening AdventureYoung Scientists will learn about the fun of gardening through exciting hands-on science experiments. Young Scientists will make a terrarium, learn about underground habitats, explore the different parts of plants, test the soil, design a mini-garden, grow all kinds of seeds, perform plant experiments, identify bugs and their habitats, make a working sun dial, and much more. The enclosed mini- garden tools and watering can will certainly become an instant hit and will encourage all Young Scientists to become Young Botanists!
(Ages 5 and up)
WH-925-1131
Price: $29.99
Science on a Nature WalkFIELD EXPERIMENTS GALORE! What can be more fun than exploring science through real field experiments on a nature walk? Find animal tracks and fossilize them! Find treasures on a scavenger hunt! Make your own compass! Perform leaf chromatography! Make a bug house! This kit includes all the necessary tools so put on your shoes and get ready to discover and explore!
WH-925-1100
(Ages: 4 and up)
Price: $24.99
You can visit The Young Scientist's Club and see all of the amazing learning kits they have available at www.kidsciencekits.com
These kits will encourage a lifetime love of learning and experimentation- you never know you may have a budding scientist on your hands who could grow up and cure cancer or stop the energy crisis.
You just never know.
Encourage fun learning and check out The Young Scientists Club www.kidsciencekits.com
Disclosure: One Science on a Tracking Expedition Kit was provided to me free of charge to review
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